Cinnamon Rolls

With such mysteriously beautiful damp weather this weekend. It can only mean one thing.

Makes 12

Ingredients:

For the buns

500g strong white bread flour

zest of 1 lemon

400ml whole milk

50g soft butter

160g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

30g fresh yeast / 1 sachet dried (7g)

2.5 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

FOR THE BUTTER FILLING

100g soft unsalted butter

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp poppy seeds

2 tsp fennel seeds

FOR THE GLAZE 

100g pecans 

100g unsalted butter 

100g honey

Put 50g of the flour and lemon zest in a saucepan and slowly add the milk, whisking to form a paste. Once all the flour is dissolved and there are no lumps, stir in any remaining milk and put the pan over a high heat, whisking constantly. (If using fresh or ordinary dried yeast, reserve 2 tablespoons of the milk, heat it until lukewarm, dissolve the yeast in it and set it aside to bubble; add it later along with the sugar and eggs.) The mixture will thicken a􏰌fter a couple of minutes, and eventually it will begin to boil. At this point, remove it and scrape everything into a mixing bowl, stir in the bu􏰋tter and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Once the mixture feels lukewarm to the touch, stir in the sugar, one of the eggs and the yeast, followed by the cinnamon and salt. Gradually incorporate the remaining flour, then bring it all together with your hands to form a dough. When everything is combined, cover with cling film and leave for 10 minutes. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, then cover and leave for another 10 minutes. Repeat twice more. This technique is important because it will give the dough a beautiful, fluffy centre. A􏰌fter the last kneading, place the dough in a clean bowl, cover and leave in a warm, dry place for 1 hour or so, until doubled in size.

To make the filling, whip together the bu􏰋tter, honey and sugar, then add the cinnamon and seeds. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Once the dough has risen, knock it back by punching it with your fist to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a long rectangle about 1cm thick. With the back of a spoon, spread the bu􏰋tter paste over the dough, then roll it up tightly from one long side of the rectangle to make a long sausage shape. Use a bu􏰋tter knife to cut it into 2cm pieces and place the rolls cut-side up, just touching each other, on the baking tray.

Cover loosely with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave to prove for about 45 minutes–1 hour, until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Toast the pecans in the oven for about 10 minutes, then remove and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Uncover the risen buns and brush them with egg, then bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown all over.

While the buns cook, put the bu􏰋tter and honey in a saucepan over a high heat and cook until it bubbles. Remove from the heat, roughly chop the toasted pecans and stir them in. Once the buns come out of the oven, drizzle over this heavenly glaze. Eat while warm! Covered, they keep well until the next day, and can be reheated in a preheated oven.

Recipe from NINA St Tropez