BUTTERY AND SOFT CINNAMON BUNS WITH COFFEE CREAM.

These cinnamon buns are soft, buttery, and very addicting, one is just not enough.

Working with pastry and bread is always relaxing. You will be kneading, rolling, shaping and the best part, indulging. Of course, to make the perfect pastry, experience helps immensely. Or maybe, a good recipe( like this one ) can overtake months of trials. In other words, experience is a one-word summary of trials, fails and improvements while also understanding strengths, weaknesses, loopholes, effectiveness and efficiency. Seriously, I could go on, and on. Nevertheless, this is a summarized recipe that will yield buttery and soft cinnamon buns. A recipe that will be your go-to, if you give it a try.

The dough is brioche, with a high butter content which makes the cinnamon buns softer. When it comes to kneading, you don’t want to over-knead as this can lead to tough buns despite the amount of butter content used. Too much flour, and overbaking will also make your buns dry.

The Cinnamon filling

The cinnamon filling is made with very few ingredients. Butter, sugar and cinnamon.

Butter. Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt that goes into the filling. Shortening will work okay but only use it if it is the last or only option

Sweetener. Granulated sugar, castor sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, honey,

Cinnamon powder.

The method of application is dependable on preference and ease. In the first method, you can butter a rolled out cinnamon dough then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top. Second, mix cinnamon, sugar and butter in a stand mixer and apply it on a rolled out dough. I prefer using the sprinkling method because I can go overboard if I go with the second method

The type of sweetener used should also be observed. Sugar with huge particles might not completely melt during baking and you will be left with unpleasant sugar particles which will ruin the fun. You want the filling to be sweet and smooth. This is why I prefer using brown sugar as it liquifies easily.

You can also add different things to the filling such as raisings, nuts, dried fruits or even blonde chocolate chips.

Cinnamon buns dough.

The leavening used is an active dry yeast that should be activated before use. Ingredients for the dough are ;

• Bread flour
• Active dry yeast
• Whole milk
• Eggs
• Unsalted butter
• Salt

To activate the yeast, mix it with milk in a small bowl and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. A teaspoon of sugar will quicken the activation process as it feeds the yeast.

To make cinnamon buns dough, mix the wet ingredients with flour until combined. Afterwards add in cubed butter, mixing until fully incorporated. Be careful not to over-knead, however, this is unlikely if you are using your hands instead of a stand mixer. It takes me about9-10 minutes by hand and half the amount if I am using a stand mixer.

When kneading in the first round the dough will seem sticky and you might get tempted to add more flour, don’t. A little flour on the working surface is alright, but don’t try to incorporate more into the dough. Too much flour will make the buns hard and dry. Simply wrap the dough with cling film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. It will be more stable and less sticky when you retrieve it but you will have to work it quickly.

Why you should not overknead dough.

This comes down to the protein, gluten, usually activated when liquid gets in contact with flour. Gluten is responsible for the structure and allows the dough to stretch during baking. When the dough is overdeveloped, the gluten protein structures will become quite strong leading to quite tough buns.

The Coffee cream.

The coffee cream is rich in dairy and strong in caffeine. Something to eat with a spoon for most coffee lovers. To make it you will need

1. Heavy cream
2. Double cream.
3. Instant coffee
4. Powdered sugar

Simply mix everything in a bowl and whip using a stand mixer until thick.

How to make cinnamon buns.

Make the dough. Start by activating yeast by mixing it with warm milk and a teaspoon of sugar. Mix the milk with eggs and sugar and transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Pour in the flour and mix until combined. Afterwards, gradually add the cubed butter and knead for 4-6 minutes. Wrap the dough with cling film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours preferably overnight. Do not freeze.

Roll and fill the dough. Flour the working surface, work the dough to a smooth round ball then roll out the dough using a rolling pin, stretching it out to a 3mm thickness. Afterwards, brush room temperature butter on top. Mix sugar with cinnamon then sprinkle on the butter.

Cut the dough. Roll the dough to form a log, ( make sure you seal the edges)then cut with a knife into same-sized pieces( a bit of maths will be needed but you can also wing it if you have a good eye) and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper leaving enough space between each piece. Brush with egg and milk mixture then let them sit for 30-45 minutes.

Bake. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Make the coffee cream. Simply mix heavy whipping cream, double cream, powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of instant coffee and whip until thick. Pour over the cinnamon buns and serve. Set some of the cream aside because people will ask for more.

Helpful Tools when making cinnamon buns.

Stand mixer. It is easier to knead the dough with a stand mixer as it usually takes me half the amount of time it takes me kneading by hand.

Rolling pin.

Serrated bread knife or sharp knife. For sharp, easy cuts of the cinnamon dough.

Pastry brush. For brushing butter on the dough before sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon. A pastry brush is also used to wash with egg wash prior to baking.

Mixing bowl.

Notes for the best cinnamon buns.

Take note of the kind of yeast you have on hand. Instant dry yeast can be mixed into the flour directly while active dry yeast should be activated with lukewarm water or milk for not less than 10 minutes.

Different sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar can be used for the filling. You can also add nuts, coconut flakes, dried fruits, raisins or chocolate.

Don’t over knead the dough otherwise, the buns will come out tough and dry. In addition, don’t be tempted to add more flour into the dough as this will make the cinnamon buns dry.

Slightly underbake the cinnamon buns, this way they will remain soft even after cooling. I baked mine in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 170C.

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