Best In Show Cinnamon Buns
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 12 buns
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Waiting time: 1 hour + 45 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons instant dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup cooled mashed potato (make sure that there are no lumps)
- 1/2 cup potato cooking water or plain water
- 1/2 cup browned butter*
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons fine salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 cups bread flour
- Non sticky spray
For filling
- 1/4 cup browned butter*
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 apples, peeled
For caramel
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
For glaze
- 3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup
Step 1 - Brown the butter-you actually need 3/4 of a cup (or 180g/6ozs) in total so it's easier to do it all at once. Melt the butter on medium to high until it starts to bubble, take on a nutty smell and turn brown. As soon as it starts to brown remove it from the stovetop (cooking the butter for too long makes black butter which isn't good). Allow to cool while you get on with the rest.
Step 2 - Heat the milk until lukewarm temperature and add the sugar and stir. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the sugared milk and cover with cling film for 5-10 minutes. Allow it to bubble and froth.
Step 3 - Mix the mashed potato, potato water, 1/2 cup of the browned butter (reserve 1/4 cup of browned butter for the filling), brown sugar, salt, egg and yeast mixture into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead with 1 cup of the flour. Add the remaining flour-you may not need all of it - I had about 1/8 of a cup leftover. Shape into a ball and place back in the bowl and cover with cling film. Allow to rise for an hour in a warm place until doubled in size (I sometimes put it in my oven set at 35C/95F when it's really cold outside).
Step 4 - While it is rising, make the caramel. Heat the butter until melted and then add the brown sugar and whisk until you get a caramel. Spray a rectangular tray with non stick spray and pour the caramel in the bottom. To make the cinnamon filling, mix the two sugars and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 5 - Punch down the dough and roll it out as thin as you can. Brush the browned butter on the surface and then sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar. Grate the apples on top. Roll up the dough from the shortest end to make one large log. Cut into 12 pieces and place on the caramel lined tray. Allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.
Step 6 - Preheat oven to 190C/374F. Bake for 25-30 minutes. When cooling, mix the two glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the top of the buns. Serve warm and don't forget to upturn them!