One of my weaknesses is a love of sticky buns, especially cinnamon rolls. They`re wonderful and they always remind me of the Caribbean, which is where I first ate them. This recipe, along with the other Christmassy recipes here comes from my book
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Makes 16 rolls
150ml tepid water
2 teaspoons dried yeast
500g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
50g caster sugar
3 medium egg yolks
125ml full fat milk
70g light muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted butter, plus extra for greasing
For the sticky glaze:
170g icing sugar
3-4 tablespoons boiling water
Measure the tepid water into a small bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved and smells yeasty and alive.
Mix the flour, salt and caster sugar together in a large bowl. Add the tepid yeast water. Using the yeast water bowl, roughly beat the egg yolks with a fork. Mix the milk into the egg yolks and pour the mixture into the flour. Use your hands to mix everything together until it forms a soft dough. Turn the dough out on to a clean surface and knead thoroughly by repeated stretching and folding under the palm of one had for 5-10 minutes or until smooth and silky.
Place in a clean bowl, cover and leave to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled into size. Mix together the muscovado sugar and the cinnamon.
Turn the dough out on to a clean surface. Knead briefly then roll out into a 30 x 45 cm rectangle. Pour the melted butter on to the dough and brush all over the surface before evenly sprinkling with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then starting with the long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Place the sea side down on a flat surface. Trim the edges and cut into 16 slices.
Liberally butter a 20 x 30 cm non-stick baking tray. Arrange the dough slices on the tray, flat side down, in four evenly spaced rows. Cover with cling film.
Heat the oven to gas mark 5/190C. Once it reaches the correct temperature, remove the cling film and bake the buns for 25 minutes or until golden and well risen. They will fuse together as they cook. Remove from the oven and quickly make the sticky icing by gradually mixing 3 or 4 tablespoons of just-boiled water into the icing sugar to make a smooth liquid. Quickly pour over the hot rolls and serve them warm or cold.
