cinnamon buns

These cinnamon buns are soft and moist and stay that way for up to 3 days. I kneaded the dough using the Zojirushi breadmaker BB-KWQ10. The overnight proof is for developing more flavor.

Cinnamon buns (makes 6 large buns)

Sponge

• 50 grams bread flour
• 20 ml water
• 1 gram yeast

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Proof for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Store in fridge for later use. Best made a day or two earlier.

Tangzhong

• 25 grams unsweetened soya milk
• 125 grams bread flour

1. Mix all ingredients in a pan. Heat over low fire and cook until thickened. Scrape into a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Store in the fridge for later use.

Main dough

• 250 grams bread flour
• 15 grams milk powder
• 75 grams tangzhong
• 40 grams sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 grams yeast
• 1 egg
• 80ml unsweetened soya milk
• All the sponge
• 40 grams unsalted butter

Filling

• 40 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams coconut flower sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon (1 1/2 tbsp if you like more cinnamon flavor)

1. Line a 6 cavities large muffin pan with cases.
2. Place all the ingredients for the main dough in the order above in the bread machine. Knead for 10 minutes, scrape down the sides, rest for 15 minutes, then knead for 15 minutes. Allow to rise for 1 hour.
3. Scrape dough onto floured work top. Gently roll the dough to 40 cm long by 24 cm wide. Spread filling evenly. Slice into 2 lengthwise. Flip one piece over the other. Slice into 2 cm width. This will give you 6 long strips.
4. Wind a strip around index and middle finger. Place the end between fingers and gently pull downwards to tuck in. Place on prepared muffin cases. Cover with another muffin pan and place in fridge overnight.
5. 1 hour before baking, take the buns out of the fridge. Proof until doubled in size and bake in 190 C oven for 15 minutes or until internal temperature reads 200 Fahrenheit.

chelsea buns

Chelsea buns, without the glaze. 🙂 Yeah, we’re weird this way. Don’t really fancy any more sugar on the bun. But if you want to, just follow the link and check out the glaze recipe.

The original recipe uses lemon zest. I didn’t have any lemons in the fridge but I did have a large navel orange, so I used that instead. Gorgeous fragrance of orange!

These buns are not too sweet or rich, suitable for eating anytime.

Chelsea buns (adapted from The Guardian)

For the dough

• 200 ml milk
• 60 grams butter
• 450 grams all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 5 grams instant yeast
• 1 egg
• zest from 1 large navel orange
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp salt

For the filling

• 30 grams butter, softened
• 35 grams brown sugar
• 100 grams mixed raisins

1. Line a 9 x 9 pan with baking paper.
2. Melt butter with milk. Set aside to cool.
3. Mix flour, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Pour in butter and milk mixture.
4. Add in egg. Mix lightly to form a soft dough.
5. Add zest, spice and salt. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work table.
6. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and set aside to proof for an hour or until doubled in size.
7. Turn out dough and lightly knead to deflate.
8. Roll out dough to 25 x 35 cm.
9. Smear with softened butter, sprinkle sugar then sprinkle raisins.
10. Using your fingertips, lightly press the long side of the dough nearest to you into the work surface. Roll in tightly from the other long side.
11. Using a knife or a string, cut into 9 pieces.
12. Arrange in prepared pan and proof for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 C.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes, covering the top with a piece of aluminum foil if it gets too brown.

soft whole wheat buns

I am a sucker for bread recipes that claim to stay soft for days. Till now, I have been unable to find a recipe where the end result stays soft, like store-bought bread, for days. I have since concluded homemade bread will not stay as soft, because no improvers, stabilizers or anything artificial were added.

This gelatinized dough recipe does stay soft for 3 days, but it is still not as soft as a loaf of Gardenia or Sunshine bread.

Soft whole wheat buns (adapted from Miki’s Food Archives)

Gelatinized Dough

• 80 grams bread flour
• 55 grams boiling water

Main Dough

• 180 grams bread flour
• 140 grams whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp molasses
• 20 grams coconut flower sugar
• 8 grams salt
• 2 grams instant yeast
• 190 grams water
• 25 grams butter
• 120 grams dried blueberries

1. The day before making, in a small bowl, mix 80 grams bread flour with 55 grams boiling water. Mix to form a rough dough. Cover with cling wrap and place in fridge for 12 hours.
2. Line a 9 inches square pan with baking paper.
3. In the mixer bowl, add bread flour, whole wheat flour, molasses, sugar, salt, yeast. Tear the gelatinized dough into small pieces and add in. Turn on the mixer and gradually add water, until a dough forms and leaves the side of the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes.
4. Add dried blueberries. Mix for 2 minutes.
5. Add butter. Knead for 15-20 minutes until dough can be stretched thinly.
6. Place dough in a buttered bowl and cover with cling wrap. Proof for 60-80 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. Lightly deflate dough. Divide into 9 portions and shape into round buns. Place in prepared pan. Cover with damp towel and proof for 30 minutes.
8. During the second proof, preheat oven to 180 C. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover top with foil if buns brown too fast.
9. Immediately remove from pan to cool completely on a rack.

Note:

1. Dried blueberries (or any dried fruits/nuts/chocolate chips) do not like to stay in the dough. So it might be easier to do a series of folds by hand to get them into the dough after it has reached windowpane stage.