Cinnamon Buns
This recipe appeared in my first book, entitled All You Knead Is Bread, published in 2012. It has since been republished as Making Bread At Home and still has the same excellent collection of easy to follow recipes for bread from around the world.
Servings: 12 buns
Cost: $$
Equipment
- baking tray with deep sides - a square "brownie pan" is perfect but if you don't have one, just use what you have.
- Scrapers
- Scale
- Rolling Pin
- bowls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 300 g Plain (all purpose) white wheat flour
- 200 g Water from the tap
- 1.5 g Instant yeast OR 3 g dry yeast OR 6 g fresh yeast
- 1 tbsp White sugar
- 6 g Salt
For the filling
- 100 g Unsalted butter
- 100 g Dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 handful Pecans, broken into small pieces Optional
For the goo
- 100 g Unsalted butter
- 100 g Dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Measure the flour into a big bowl and make a well in it. Measure the yeast and the sugar into the well and add the water. Flick some flour over the well to close it and let it sit for 15 minutes
- Add the salt and knead for 10 minutes by hand or by machine. If you are using a machine, put it on the lowest setting.
- Cover the dough and let it sit for 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size.
- While it is rising, beat together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon for the filling and set it aside.
- Also prepare the goo by melting the butter and the sugar together and scraping it it into the pan in which you will bake the buns. Swirl it all around so it evenly coats the bottom of the tray and set it aside.
- When the dough has risen, pull it out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle about 12x9 inches (the size of an A4/letter piece of paper).
- Patiently spread the filling all over the dough. A scraper is a good tool for this. Take your time, this is not as easy as it sounds. If you are using crushed pecans (or walnuts) scatter them over the surface of the dough once you have spread the filling over.
- Roll up the dough from the long side into a tight sausage and slice it into 12 equal slices. This is be easier if the dough is cold. If your dough is warm you can pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to let it cool down.
- Snuggle the slices into the baking tray in which you have put the butter and sugar goo. As you put them in, turn them over so they get all buttery all over. When they are all in there, turn them all over (seriously) as that way the tops and the bottoms are all buttery. Cover the tin with a tea towel and let them rise for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F) and pop the buns in. Check them after 20-30 minutes and cover them with baking parchment to make sure the tops do not get too brown. Bake them for 45 minutes in total.
- When they are done, remove them and carefully invert them on to a big plate. Be CAREFUL. Don't burn yourself with hot goo and don't lose any!
- Let them cool before you eat them or you will burn yourself on boiling hot goo. You have been warned!