I really appreciated the feedback I received from my last blogpost. I love that we can be a community and I can really engage with all of you! So here we go again with a new post! It’s Friday, we’re heading into the weekend and things are looking good! And what would make our weekends that much better? Amazing breakfasts!
I’m quite the fan of breakfast food…and dinner and dessert…okay just all kinds of food. But anyway, breakfast is so fun to do and I have the perfect weekend breakfast pastry for you to try out!
The brilliant folks at “Bake from Scratch” Magazine came out with the most beautiful British baking issue for January and February. I realize this is a bit late as it is now March (whhhaaat???!) but I’m sure you could find a copy somewhere out in the universe or just go to their website and find all the great recipes there! I’ve been more of a “Sift” magazine kind of lady, reading “Bake from Scratch” once in a while, but this issue of has made me a dedicated fan. I’m married to a Brit, I am head over heels for The British Bake Off and their Masterclass and I have been obsessed with England since I was ten, so “Bake from Scratch” got me easily in one fowl swoop!
In the British baking issue, they did a piece on John Whaite and his cookery school. I follow Whaite on Instagram and was so excited to try one of his creations! The cinnamon, cardamom and lemon swirl buns featured in this magazine are AMAZING. Literally the best things I have ever baked in my life! They are so so soft, have a nice unexpected flavor that comes at you from the cardamom and have a simple lemon glaze on top that makes them perfect. I would not change a thing about this recipe because it is amazing!
Try them out this weekend as a nice treat to yourself for making it through another week of 2018! Let me know if you test them out by tagging me in pictures or stories on Instagram.
John Whaite's Cinnamon Swirl Buns
Makes 12
Ingredients
· Dough:
· 2 cups (254 grams) strong white/bread flour, plus extra for dusting
· 2 cups (250 grams) plain/all-purpose flour
· 2½ teaspoons (10 grams) caster sugar
· 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
· ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
· 2 teaspoons (4 grams) fast-action/instant yeast
· ⅔ cup (160 grams) warm water (105°F/40°C to 110°F/43°C)
· ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
· 1 large egg (50 grams)
· 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened
· Flavourless oil, for greasing
· Cinnamon Filling:
· 9 tablespoons (126 grams) unsalted butter
· ½ cup (110 grams) firmly packed dark brown muscovado sugar
· ¼ cup (31 grams) plain/all-purpose flour
· 2 tablespoons (12 grams) ground cinnamon
· Zest of 1 lemon (6 grams)
· 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cardamom
· Lemon Glaze:
· ¾ cup (90 grams) icing sugar/confectioners’ sugar
· 3 tablespoons (45 grams) fresh lemon juice
· Garnish: pearl sugar
Instructions
1. For dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add flours. Whisk in sugar, salt, and cardamom. Add yeast, and whisk into flour mixture. With mixer on low speed, add water, milk, and egg. Increase speed to medium, and add softened butter. Beat until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film (plastic wrap), and allow to rise until doubled in size, usually an hour but it could be longer if your kitchen is cool.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all Cinnamon Filling ingredients. (Use your hands as that helps to soften the butter and combine the ingredients more quickly.)
3. On a floured workspace, roll dough into a rectangle of about 15 to 17 inches (38 to 43 centimeters). Spread Cinnamon Filling all over dough. Roll up in a tight spiral. (As you roll, pull toward you to create this tight spiral.) Push each end toward centre to compress roll. Trim off messy ends, then cut roll into 12 equal slices. (I use dental floss for this, which I slide under the dough to where I want to cut, then bring across the two ends, up and over the dough, pulling it tight to cut through—just like a cheese wire.) Place buns, spiral side up, in a 13x9-inch (33x22-centimeter) baking pan, leaving a little space between each one. Allow to rise until buns are swollen and wobble slightly when touched, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
5. For lemon glaze: In a small bowl, add sugar. Whisk in lemon juice until combined.
6. Bake until risen and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. As soon as buns come out of the oven, glaze with lemon glaze, and sprinkle with pearl sugar, if desired
SSEB Note: I didn’t use the pearl sugar and they were still amazing! So don’t feel like you need to have it. I would recommend splurging for the cardamom of you don’t have it already though, it adds something extra, and cardamom is really popular right now so you’ll be able to use it again in the near future!