Sourdough Cinnamon Buns

Lockdown 2.0 was the catalyst for these buns. I woke up one morning with a hungry determination to master sourdough cinnamon buns. My sourdough bread was just about there and I thought why not! It took me more than a couple of attempts to reach what I was looking for – a buttery enriched pillowy dough with the complex almost nutty flavor that comes from working with sourdough. I suggest making the dough the evening before as it needs time to prove and I do recommend using a stand mixer for this recipe as without it the kneading will be tiresome work. The process of making the dough using a mixer is quick and simple. Rolling the buns is the fiddly part and it may be that your confidence drops at this point but do not let it. Wait for the second rise and for your buns to swell once more and I promise you will swell with pride too. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Ingredients

For the dough

120g unsalted butter, at room temp
160g milk
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
100g active starter
30g granulated sugar
340g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt

For the filling

40g unsalted butter
125g granulated sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp apricot jam to glaze.

Method

The evening before (I tend to bake at around 5.00 or 6.00pm) place the butter and milk in a saucepan over a low heat until the butter has melted. Allow it to cool slightly.
Using the paddle attachment of your mixer place the egg and egg yolk, active starter and sugar into the fitted bowl. Mix to combine and with the paddle still beating slowly pour in the butter milk mixture.
Then add the flour and salt and continue to mix until you have a wet loose dough (about 3 mins). You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Cover with a damp tea-towel and leave to rest for 30-40 mins.
Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough on the slowest speed setting for about 10 mins until the dough is pulling from the sides. Be patient with this and resist adding any more flour for at least five mins. If your dough is still very wet and not forming add just a tablespoon of flour at a time.
Transfer to a large bowl greased in oil or butter, cover in with a damp tea-towel and leave in a warm place for one hour.
After one hour you will need to stretch the dough. Taking one end of the dough gently pull it up as far as you can without breaking it and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter of a turn and repeat. Fold the dough a total of 4 times (giving it a full circle). Then lift the dough and turn it up on itself so that the folds are sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
Cover again and return to a warm place to prove for 12-14 hours or overnight.

The next morning line an 8 inch spring form cake tin or roughly 20cm by 20cm brownie pan with baking parchment.
Clean a large work surface and lightly oil it. This helps to keep the dough from sticking.
Dust the oiled work surface with a little flour and turn out the dough. Use your hands to shape it into a rough rectangle and leave it for 20 mins to rest.
Dust the top of your dough as well as your rolling pin and roll out the dough to a large rectangle roughly measuring roughly 40cm by 28cm.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and allow it to cool slightly. In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon.
Brush the dough with the melted butter and then sprinkle over (all but 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar) leaving a boarder around the outside of roughly 2cm.
Fold the dough from the long side, pressing and squeezing as you do. Take care whilst doing this as you want the roll to be as tight as possible without knocking too much air out of the dough. Make sure that the dough is seam side down when you finish the roll.
Cut the dough into 5cm sections using an oiled knife. I tend to line up a ruler above it and make rough markings before cutting so as to ensure even sized buns.
Gently place your rolls into the parchment lined tin and leave to rise for 2 hours until they have noticeably increased in size.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and bake for 35-40 mins until puffed up and golden brown.
Warm the apricot jam in a pan and brush over the band. Sprinkle over the remaining tsp of cinnamon sugar. Allow the jam to set and the buns to cool in the pan for 10 mins before lifting them out. I love to enjoy these whilst they are still warm but they will last for up to 3 days.

For more sweet treats try these Ginger Oat Biscuits or this Fig, Ricotta Crostata.