Cinnamon Buns

Mark

Ingredients

For the cinnamon bun dough

  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 200ml milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 250g plain or wholemeal plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 250g strong white flour
  • 1½ tsp fast-action yeast
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
  • 4 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • olive oil 1 tbsp

For the filling and topping

  • 75g unsalted butter, softened
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten

Method

  1. In a small saucepan heat the butter, milk and salt until the butter is melted. Allow the mixture to cool until it is lukewarm.
  2. In the Kenwood with the dough hook, stir together the flours, yeast, cardamom and sugar, eggs, oil. Pour in the lukewarm milk mixture and stir on speed 2 for 5/8 minutes until everything together to form a sticky dough.
  3. Shape into a ball, and put into a large, greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place to prove for an hour, or until doubled in size.
  4. Meanwhile, for the filling and topping, mix the softened butter in a bowl with half the sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Use a fork to mix the sugar and spice into the butter until it is completely combined. Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside.
  5. When the dough has risen, turn out onto a floured work surface and gently roll out into a 36x24cm rectangle. Spread the cinnamon-sugar-butter evenly over the dough with a table or palette knife.
  6. With the longest edge closest to you, roll the dough up into a cylinder. Cut into 12 even slices.
  7. Place each slice onto a baking tray covered in baking parchment.
  8. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside to prove again for 30-45 minutes, or until risen.
  9. Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan.
  10. Brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg and dust liberally with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 12 minutes until the buns are dark golden-brown.

Notes

The cinnamon bun dough can be made the day before and kept in a large airtight container in the fridge overnight (it will continue to rise, so allow plenty of space). Turn out onto a floured surface and cover with a tea towel, allowing the dough to warm up for 30 minutes before rolling out and filling.