Cinnamon Buns With Browned Butter Cream Cheese Glaze
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Makes 12 buns to fit in 2x20cm/8inch round tins
Cooking time:
- 3.5 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 60g/2ozs. butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 glace cherries
Filling:
- 125g/4ozs. butter, melted
- 3/4 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
- 80g/3ozs. butter
- 125g/4ozs. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1.5 cups icing sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step 1 - Make the tangzhong first. Take 1/6 cup of the total flour and place in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water. Whisk until smooth and then heat it up until it reaches 65ºC/149ºF. Remove from heat, whisk in the milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter and cool to 45ºC/113ºF.
Step 2 - In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook stir the rest of the flour and yeast. Add in the tangzhong and the milk mixture. Knead with the dough hook until you can gently pull the dough apart without it breaking-this is called the window pane effect. Roll into a ball and allow to double in size in a warm area - around 45 minutes to 1 hour. Knead in the salt. In a small bowl mix the melted butter, sugar and cinnamon together to make the filling.
Step 3 - Grease two 20cm/8inch round tins on the base and sides. Flour a large surface and roll out into a large rectangle, around 60x40cms (24x16inches) in size. Brush the filling all over the dough right to the edges. Cut the dough into 14 long 1 inch strips lengthwise and roll them up from each end meeting in the middle and pinch them at the bottom to make a heart. Place six buns per tin reserving the rolled up end piece to put in the centre. Place a glace cherry in the hollow. Allow to rise for 20 minutes and preheat oven to 190C/374F. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden.
Step 4 - In a saucepan add the butter and turn it to medium high heat allowing the butter to bubble and become golden brown. Once it smells nutty take it off the heat. Whisk this with the cream cheese and then add the icing sugar, milk and vanilla until you make a spreadable glaze. Spread on top of the warm buns and serve.