CINNAMON BUNS

These have to be the ultimate comfort food. You know those days when you just don’t feel like conquering the world? You just want to snuggle down, watch a movie and eat good food.

I ask my family what they felt like and they all agreed on Cinnamon Buns, soft, fluffy, buttery, filled with sugary cinnamon and then to finish them off nicely - icing!

Makes 18 medium sized buns

Ingredients

500g flour

3 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

50g softened butter

250-350 ml warm milk

Filing

75g softened butter

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

Icing

2 cups icing sugar

2 Tbsp golden or maple syrup

1-2 Tbsp hot water

Method

Add the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and softened butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the dough hook. mix on medium speed until well mixed.

Warm the milk until tepid.

With the mixer running, slowly pour in half the milk and allow to mix in. You will notice if the the dough is looking dry to gradually add more milk. You want the dough to be soft to the touch but not so sticky that it doesn’t hold it form. Continue kneading for a further 5 minutes.

Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for a minute or so to form a smooth, silky looking ball.

Lightly grease a bowl and place the dough in it, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size.

When doubled in size, give it a gently knock back with your fist. Turn out onto your work bench, dust with flour and roll out in a rectangular shape roughly 50cm in length x 20cm width,

Brush with softened butter.

Mix together the sugar and spices and sprinkle evenly over the butter.

Roll up tightly to begin starting at one of the long edges and roll it across. Seal the ends by pinching to together.

Cut into 18 rounds.

Grease a suitable sized oven dish and evenly place the buns in, allowing about 1/2 cm between each.

Cover loosely and prove in a warm place until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven 190C

Bake the buns for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and cool for 5 minutes.

To make the icing - combine the icing sugar, syrup and stir in 1 Tbsp of hot water. If you need more only add 1 teaspoon at a time until you get a pouring consistency.

Pour over the buns.

Enjoy