Cinnamon Buns
We started our day with burnt toast, tea and hot chocolates. It seemed like the right choice given the rain outside and the fog inside my head. The natural progression from tea and toast was then a batch of cinnamon buns. Pillowy soft and gently spiced with cardamom and cinnamon, they were and wildly therapeutic to make (and eat).
Cinnamon Buns
(makes 12)
Warm from the oven, these sweet buns really are a delight. They’re also very simple to make – with only the patience needed to let the dough rise twice. Begin them a good few hours before you want to eat them.
Ingredients
Buns:
500g plain flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cardamom
55g caster sugar
10g dried fast-action yeast
250ml milk, warm
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 eggs, lightly beaten
80g unsalted butter, softened
Filling:
80g unsalted butter, softened
80g brown sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
To top:
1 egg, lightly beaten
Raw sugar, to sprinkle
Apricot jam, warmed
Method
Grease a 35cm round or large rectangular baking tin well with butter.
Place flour, salt, cardamom, caster sugar, yeast, milk, vanilla, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix on low to combine. Increase speed slightly and knead for 2-3 minutes. Add softened butter to the dough, and continue to mix for another 5-8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic and coming away from the sides of the bowl.
Transfer dough to a well-greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Place somewhere warm and allow to prove until dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200°C (fan-forced). Place filling ingredients into a small bowl and mix to combine. Knock dough down and place on a lightly floured board. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a rectangle roughly 50 x 40cm. With the long edge facing you, spread dough evenly with filling.
Starting at one of the long edges, roll dough tightly into a log, making sure the seam is underneath. Using a sharp knife, slice into 12 equal portions. Place slices, spirals facing up, in your greased baking tin, and set aside to prove again until buns are light and risen – about 45 minutes.
Brush buns with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little raw sugar before placing in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. When buns are cooked, brush with a little warmed apricot jam and serve warm with a big pot of tea or coffee.
