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Honey Ricotta Tomato Buns with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Honey Ricotta Tomato Buns with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Soft honey brioche buns filled with whipped honey lemon ricotta, topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, crushed pistachios, a honey drizzle, and flaky sea salt. These Honey Ricotta Tomato Buns are the perfect sweet and savory summer appetizer!
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Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12 buns

Ingredients

For the Honey Brioche Dough:

  • ¾ cup whole milk heated to 100 to 110 degrees F
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 ½ cups bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 large egg for egg wash

For the Roasted Tomatoes:

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Honey Lemon Ricotta:

  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For Topping:

  • ½ cup pistachios chopped
  • Honey for drizzling
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  • Start with your milk. Heat 3/4 cup of whole milk to between 100 and 110 degrees F. I really do use a thermometer here, because this is the one step where guessing can cost you your whole rise. It should feel warm on your wrist, never hot.
  • Stir in the 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You're looking for it to get foamy and bubbly on top, which means your yeast is alive and happy and ready to go.
  • Mix in the honey and the egg until everything is combined, then add the bread flour and salt.
  • Knead for 5 minutes. Now add your cubed butter and keep kneading for 5 more minutes. It will look like a greasy mess for a minute, I promise that's normal! Just keep going and it will come together into a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough.
  • Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour, until it's doubled in size and beautifully puffy.
  • While the dough is rising, let's roast those tomatoes. Add a pint of cherry tomatoes to a sheet pan, drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil, season with a touch of salt and pepper, and roast at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. They'll come out blistered, jammy, and SO sweet.
  • Now make the ricotta filling. In a blender or food processor, blend together the ricotta, honey, lemon zest, and salt and pepper until it is completely smooth and creamy. Transfer it to a piping bag if you have one, or just plan to scoop it on. Both work perfectly!
  • Chop up your half cup of pistachios and set them aside so everything is ready for assembly.
  • Once your dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal balls, about 50 to 60 grams each. A kitchen scale makes this so easy, but eyeballing it is fine too. Place them on a parchment lined sheet pan with some room between them.
  • Press down into the center of each ball with your fingers to create a little well, leaving a nice puffy border around the outside. Brush that border generously with egg wash.
  • Fill each well with the honey lemon ricotta, then top with your roasted cherry tomatoes. Press the chopped pistachios all around the edges so they toast up right along with the buns.
  • Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the buns are nice and GOLDEN and your kitchen smells unbelievable.
  • Take them out of the oven, drizzle honey over the top, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. That's the sweet and salty magic right there. Serve them warm and get ready for everyone to lose their minds!