Things We Make: Cinnamon Buns

In a jug mix the yeast, warm milk and tablespoon of sugar. Leave to froth for 10 minutes if you have time then add the melted butter and egg yolks.
Pour the liquids into the flours, with the salt.

Knead for 5-10 minutes on a floured surface. Put in a large bowl with a plate on top and leave in a warm place until doubled in size (1-2 hours).

Knock down and flatten out until it’s about the size of a large baking tray. Slather with the very soft 100g of butter. Sprinkle with the mix of brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up so you have a long Swiss roll type thing.

Slice into 2″ slices and place in a lined or buttered deep cake tin. I used a 26cm Kaiser tin, with nonstick foil on the base and butter on the sides. Allow to rise for another 1/2 hour.

Bake at 200C for 10 minutes. Cover loosely with foil to stop it browning too quickly and bake for another 15 minutes or so. At this point I brush it with a little melted butter and put it back in if not quite cooked through.

Meanwhile, mix the icing ingredients with enough warm water to make it into a spreadable paste. Note: It’s just as good without any icing for those who haven’t got such a sweet tooth. The photo above is without icing.

Tip out the buns straight away when they come out of the oven (using a plate to tip it onto, then back onto a second plate). Top with the warm buttery icing and leave to cool … as long as you can bear it. They are still good on day two (and even better when warmed for 20 seconds in the microwave).

For more photos on the process, see the related blog post.

Let me know if you try it!