Philadelphia Buns

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"I promise a Philadelphia bun in every pot."
--George W. Bush (paraphrased)
(Bush separates the Republicans from the Democrats, who, of course, are jelly
doughnuts--ed.)

     I previously posted "sticky buns."
     "Philadelphia" was not (or rarely) in the name in the 19th century.
Herman Hueg's ILLUSTRATED CAKE BAKER (1892) has "104. Claremont Buns," "105.
Corrington Buns," and "238. Bath Buns."   Jessup Whitehead's COOKING FOR
PROFIT (1893) has "Buns: currant, cinnamon, Chelsea."
     From CONFECTIONERS' AND BAKERS' GAZETTE, 10 September 1901, pg. 18, col.
2:

_Adelphia Bun._
2 lbs. flour.
1/2 lb. butter or lard.
3/4 lb. powdered sugar.
2 eggs.
1/2 pint milk (more or less).
3/4 oz. good baking powder.
1/2 lb. currants.
1/4 lb. finely-chopped mixed peels.
Any flavor you choose.
     To mix, sift baking-powder in the flour, cream butter, sugar and eggs,
add milk and ammonia, stir in, then add flour and half mix, then add the
currants and peel, finish mixing, adding flour or milk, if needed, to form a
medium slack mass.  When mixed drop them--in size to sell at what price you
choose--with a spoon or with your hand, unto greased pans, wash them with egg
and milk wash, bake them plain or dust with sugar, as you choose.

     From AMERICAN COOKERY, October 1916, pg. 217, col. 1:

     _Philadelphia Butter Buns_
     Soften one cake of compressed yeast in one-fourth a cup of lukewarm
water; add one cup of scalded and cooled milk and about one cup and a half of
bread flour and beat all together until smooth.  Cover and set out of
draughts to become light.  Add one-fourth a cup, each, of melted shortening
and sugar, two egg-yolks, beaten light, one teaspoonful of salt, grated rind
of one lemon and bread flour for a dough.  (About three cups of (Col. 2--ed.)
flour will be needed).  Knead until smooth and elastic.  Cover close and set
aside to become doubled in bulk.  Turn upside down on a board, roll into a
rectangular sheet, brush over with melted butter, dredge with one or two
tablespoonfuls of sugar and a teaspoonful of cinnamon, then sprinkle with
half a cup of currants and roll as a jelly roll.  Cut into pieces about an
inch and a quarter long.  The dough will make about twenty pieces.  Cream
one-fourth a cup of shortening; beat in one-fourth a cup of brown sugar and
spread the mixture on the inside of a cast iron frying pan of suitable size.
Let stand until doubled in bulk.  Bake about half an hour.  The sugar and
butter should glaze the bottom of the buns.  Serve, turned upside down,
glazed side up.

     From AMERICAN COOKERY, December 1919, pg. 357, col. 1:

     _Philadelphia Butter Buns_
     Make a sponge of one cake of compressed yeast, one-fourth a cup of
water, one cup of scalded milk, and one cup and one-half of bread flour; when
light, add one-fourth a cup of sugar, one-fourth a cup of butter, melted; two
egg-yolks, one-half a teaspoonful of salt, the grated rind of one lemon, and
flour for dough; about two cups of flour will be required.  Knead until
smooth and elastic.  Cover close and set aside to become doubled in bulk.
Turn upside down on a board, roll into a rectangular sheet, spread with
softened butter, dredge with sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle with currants and
rolly as a jelly-roll.  Cut into pieces about (Col. 2--ed.) an inch and a
quarter long.  The dough will make sixteen buns.  Butter well the bottom of a
pan of proper size and dredge generously with brown sugar; set the buns on
the sugar and let become light.  Bake in a moderate oven.  Turn upside down.
The sugar and butter should glaze the bottom of the buns.  Three or four
tablespoonfuls of butter and a generous half-cup of sugar are none too much
on the pan.