Blueberry, Lemon & Basil Cinnamon Buns
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 45 minutes plus 1 hour 20 minutes rising time
Cooking time: 40 minutes
For the rolls:
- 525g/18.5ozs. bread or plain all purpose flour
- 125ml/4flozs. water
- 50g/1.7ozs butter, softened
- 190ml/6.4flozs. milk
- 65g/2.3ozs. sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon/8.5g yeast
For the filling:
- 250g/8.8ozs. frozen blueberries
- 90g/3.2ozs. sugar
For the glaze:
- 40g/1.4ozs. butter, melted
- 65g/2.3ozs. cream cheese, softened
- 75g/2.6 oz icing or powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup/60ml/2flozs. roasted blueberries (from above)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 4 basil leaves, finely chopped
Step 1 - First make the tangzhong roux. Take out 20g/0.7ozs of flour from the total weight of flour and mix with the water. Heat in a small saucepan until it reaches 65C/149F and the whisk in the butter, then the milk, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until smooth.
Step 2 - Place the remaining flour and the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and then stir in the tangzhong roux. Then knead for around 10 minutes or so or until you get the window pane effect where you can gently pull apart the dough with floured hands so that you can see through it without the dough breaking.
Thermomix note: Take out 20g/0.7ozs of flour from the total weight of flour and mix with the water and place in Thermomix bowl. Set for 10 seconds speed #4. Then set to 65C for 7 minutes at speed 0.5 until it makes a roux paste. Then add butter, then the milk, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and salt and set to 15 seconds speed #4. Place the remaining flour and the yeast in the Thermomix bowl and set to 10 seconds speed #3. Then set to knead function for 9-10 minutes. You should be able to gently pull apart the dough with floured hands so that you can see through it without the dough breaking.
Step 3 - Place in a large oiled bowl and cover and allow to rise until 2-3 times the size (around 1 hour).
Step 4 - In the meantime while it is rising make the blueberry filling as it will need to cool completely before using it. Preheat oven to 180C/350F and mix the blueberries and sugar and roast for 15 minutes. Blend the berries and sugar and allow to cool completely.
Step 5 - Line a 22x30cm/8.6x12inch baking tin with parchment and flour a large surface. Punch the dough down and then roll it out to become around 50x40cms or 20x16inch rectangle. I find it easiest to stop halfway and rest the dough for 5 minutes once I stretch it out to a certain size as the gluten won't allow you to stretch it further. Make sure that you dust flour under the dough so that it doesn't stick.
Step 6 - Spoon the filling over the dough reserving 1/4 of the blueberry filling to use in the glaze. Roll the dough up from the longest side (the 50cm/20inch side) to form a log. The dough and filling will be quite soft but that's ok.
Step 7 - Using some dental floss , cut the ends off (cook's treat!) and then cut the rest into 12 slices. Place in the prepared tin. Allow to rise for a second time for 30 minutes. Bake in a 180C/350F oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden.
Step 8 - To make the glaze, blend the melted butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and basil leaves. Pour the glaze over the warm buns and serve. These buns also freeze well for 3 months. Store the buns in the fridge as the cream cheese icing requires refrigeration.