Onion Bacon Fantans
Onion Bacon Fantans are a homemade bread with a fancy name but a simple process. Layer onion-bacon jam in between layers of dough then bake in a muffin tin to achieve this beautiful shaped bread.
Fantan rolls in Southern Living magazine recently caught my eye; their version is a caramel-apple fantan and it looks scrumptious! It is overflowing with caramel and the layers are filled with apples, raisins, brown sugar and spices.
I thought the technique of layering a rich dough with a filling then arranging it in muffin tin had many possibilities from a sweet breakfast roll to a savory dinner roll like this one with onion and bacon making a satisfying filling.
Pulling apart each layer of a fantan provides a sensory experience; first the presentation is like a gift to your eyes as you peel back each segment of the roll, then the aroma of the ingredients reaches your nose, and finally the taste of the soft bread with this savory onion-bacon filling hits your palate and you are already reaching for your next bite.
Using this homemade onion-bacon jam to cover the dough before layering into its fan shape was easy and could be replicated with other flavors too-- fig preserves come to mind as another good base for the filling.
Onion Bacon Fantans
Soft bread layers filled with onion bacon in between are a magical result of layering the dough and filling in stacks then baking in a muffin cup. Genius!
Ingredients
- 1 (¼-oz.) envelope active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ to 2 cups bread flour
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 8 ounces onion-bacon jam
- 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat water to about 110 degrees F. Add it to the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes then add the egg, remaining sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 ½ cups bread flour. Mix in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until smooth and blended. Add in the whole wheat flour on low until the dough forms a soft dough. If the dough is sticky gradually add the remaining half cup of bread flour.
- Switch to the dough hook and let the mixer knead the dough for 4-5 minutes or turn out onto a floured surface knead the dough for 6-8 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Spray a large bowl with baking spray and let the dough rest in the bowl, covered with sprayed plastic wrap, until it doubles in size, about an hour. (photo 1)
- Punch the dough down and roll it into a 20 by 12 inch rectangle. (photo 2) Brush about half of the melted butter onto the dough then spread the onion-bacon jam nearly to the edges. (photo 3)
- Cut the dough lengthwise into 5 strips, each 4 inches wide. (yes, I would recommend using a ruler here as a guideline so that your layers are more or less the same width.) Layer the strips in a stack. (photo 4)
- Cut the rectangle into 12 square-like pieces. (photo 5). Turn them on their sides and place in muffin tins (such that you'll be making a fan with the stacked pieces- photo 6).
- Coat plastic wrap with baking spray then cover the muffin tin tray and let the rolls rise in a warm place for about an hour. The rolls will rise about ½-3/4 inch above the muffin tin rims. (photo 7 and 8)
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 18-20 minutes. Immediately brush with remaining melted butter and let cool in the muffin tins for 5-10 minutes before removing the fantans to a wire rack. Serve slightly warm.
Notes
Recipe adapted from a caramel apple fantan recipe from Southern Living magazine.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 244Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 287mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 7g
This data is provided by Nutritionix and is an estimate only.
Pin these onion fantans for later!
Dough recipe is from the above mentioned Southern Living recipe
Holly Baker started the food blog, A Baker's House, in 2011. She is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer for the site. Holly loves to bake and shares recipes for gluten free food, canning recipes, as well as traditional desserts too. Her recipes and food photography have been highlighted by BuzzFeed, Reader's Digest, and She Knows.
These look ridiculous...I want all of them! I love both sweet and savory fantans...but I have a feeling your version would wind up being a favorite. Just gorgeous.
Thanks, Heather, I agree that these fantans would be great as a dessert sweet or a dinner savory roll too. They were fun to make!
I saw those fantans in SL and fell in love too. This is a brilliant version of their delicious recipe. I don't know which ones I want to make first, yours or theirs. Looks like there are lots of fantans in my future.
I really enjoyed that issue of SL. I keep looking at that apple blondie pie on the front cover and know that I need to make it soon!
I'll trade some snickerdoodle coffee cake for a fantan. They look scrumptious!
I am not even sure that would be a fair trade-- snickerdoodle coffee cake sounds out of this world!!
Just love that word fantans. Need 'em, stat! Nice choice for TwelveLoaves!
Yes, me too! How have I missed out on the fun of fantans for all of these years??
Oh, I just love this! Holly, super choice for our theme this month. So envious of your bacon jam! I would smother it on every thing before baking:))
Thanks, Lora, great theme this month!
Oh Holly....I was just ooogling over that same fantan recipe in Southern Living! I just love the structure of these fantans.....pulling apart each pillowy layer! What a great idea to adapt it to a more savory roll! And with bacons and onions....I cannot resist! Beautiful photos! : )
Anne, weren't there some great recipes in that issue? I remember when my mom gave me the subscription as a gift my first thought was "well I don't live in the South or cook Southern food" and my, I have been happily surprised. Each month there are great ideas and recipes in Southern Living. I always look forward to receiving it in the mail.
These little cuties are so tempting - no, they are irresistible. Pull apart fan tans PLUS an excuse to make bacon jam?! I can't wait to try this recipe... soon... early in the month for a change.
Thanks! I thought your apple quick bread looked wonderful from last month. Can't wait to see what you bake this month!
Ok, you just open my eyes to a hold new different addiction. 🙂
Thanks, Kathya!
These look amazing. I've been so wanting to do fan tans forever. Your photography is stunning.
Thanks, Karen, this was my first time coming across fan tans and I hope to make more soon, it was easier than I thought and fun to watch how the dough stacks rose to fill out the muffin tin.
Fantans must be short for fantastic because that is the only way to describe these incredible tasty little breads! Makes me want to subscribe to SL again. Sorry I missed that issue...
Maybe you could find the SL issue in your local library or it's great that the recipes are shared online. Here it is: http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/southern-living-september-2013-recipes-00417000084142/
Holly!!!
omg, I LOVE these! I've made pull apart bread before but making rolls is brilliant!!! and totally pinned your Crock Pot Onion-Bacon Jam. . yumm! love these! so beautiful!
Thanks, Alice, for the kind words! I think I'll try more variations of these rolls in the coming weeks. They could fit many an occasion.
Just how gorgeous are these!! Beautifully done, Holly.
Thanks, Ansh! These fantan rolls were fun to assemble and even better that they turned out well!
These look so delicious! Pinning. 🙂
Thanks, Abbie, what fun to see these on Pinterest. I love finding inspiration and recipes there.
Thanks so much! Theses are a festive roll I think too, definitely ready for a celebration meal!
This is creative and beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Velva
I've always wondered how these rolls (fantans) fan out like that! Onion and bacon sound very tempting right now. I may end up finding these in my kitchen very soon...
OMG Holly, you had the most wonderful idea this month! Not only the flavors are incredible, but I just love how cute fantans look. And so great to eat splitting the layers one by one. Gorgeous!