# Ħobża ta' San Martin (St Martin's Sweet Buns)

Source: https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/hobza-ta-san-martin/

Soft Maltese aniseed buns with a sugar glaze, sesame and an optional liquorice sweet, baked for the November feast of St Martin.

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus 1½-2½ hours rising)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10 buns
Tags: bread, sweet-bread, san-martin, autumn, november, traditional, vegetarian



## Ingredients

Measures: **1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml.** For local ingredient names and substitutions, see our [guide to Maltese ingredients abroad](/maltese-ingredients-abroad/).



- 500g strong bread flour

- 7g instant dried yeast

- 90g caster sugar

- 1 tsp aniseed

- 1/2 tsp fine salt

- 300ml lukewarm milk

- 70g butter, softened

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 30g sugar and 30ml water, for the glaze

- 1 tbsp sesame seeds

- 10 small liquorice sweets, for decorating (optional)


## Instructions

1. **Knead**: Mix flour, yeast, sugar, aniseed and salt. Add milk and vanilla, mix, then knead in the soft butter gradually. Knead for 10-12 minutes until elastic. The dough should stay soft and slightly tacky.

2. **First rise**: Cover and leave for 1-2 hours until doubled. Divide into 10 equal pieces, shape into tight round buns and place apart on lined baking trays.

3. **Prove and glaze**: Cover and leave for 30-45 minutes until puffy. Heat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C). Warm the glaze sugar and water just until dissolved, then brush a little over the buns and sprinkle with sesame.

4. **Bake**: Bake for 16-20 minutes until golden and cooked through. Brush lightly with the remaining glaze. Add an optional liquorice sweet to each warm bun, then cool on a rack.



## A Bun for the Autumn Feast

These are soft sweet buns, distinct from sesame biscuits and from the nut-filled St Martin cake. Allow both rises; a cool kitchen can lengthen the waiting time. The stated preparation time counts active work.

## Serving and Keeping

Serve on the day of baking or the next day. Cool fully before wrapping and freeze spare buns for longer keeping. The liquorice decoration is optional; check its ingredients if a vegetarian sweet is needed.

Pack the buns using our [borża ta' San Martin guide](/borza-ta-san-martin/), or plan the rest of the table in the [autumn and November collection](/collections/maltese-all-saints-halloween-food/#san-martin-in-november).


## At the Maltese table

St Martin's feast belongs to November and the Maltese autumn calendar. The borża ta' San Martin brings together nuts, fruit and a sweet bun; aniseed, glaze and a liquorice decoration are familiar features of the bread.





## Explore the collections

- [Maltese baking and pastry](https://www.malteserecipes.com/collections/maltese-baking-and-pastry/)

- [Maltese festa and celebration food](https://www.malteserecipes.com/collections/maltese-festa-and-celebration-food/)

- [Maltese desserts and sweets](https://www.malteserecipes.com/collections/maltese-desserts-and-sweets/)

- [Autumn and November food](https://www.malteserecipes.com/collections/maltese-all-saints-halloween-food/)


## Serve with or cook next

- [Tin Imqadded bil-Ġewż (Walnut-Stuffed Dried Figs)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/tin-imqadded-bil-gewz/): Fill dried figs with walnut halves for a simple autumn accompaniment.

- [Torta ta' San Martin (Maltese Fruit and Nut Cake)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/torta-ta-san-martin/): Bake the nut-and-dried-fruit cake for the same November feast.

- [Qastan Mixwi (Roasted Chestnuts)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/qastan-mixwi/): Offer warm chestnuts for an autumn gathering.

- [Kafè Malti (Maltese Spiced Coffee)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/maltese-coffee/): Serve the sweet buns with spiced coffee.