The smell is divine when these are cooking. Dare you not to have more than one when they are ready to eat. Scrumptious.
Lightly mix 250g plain flour, 250g strong bread flour, 10g castor sugar. Put 5g salt to one side of the bowl and 7g quick active yeast on the opposite side.
Mix 150ml tepid water with 120ml milk, 1 slightly beaten egg and 40g soft butter. Pour this on top of the yeast. Knead for 10 minutes until a soft dough ball is formed. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size. If you have placed it in to cool an area you may have to leave it up to 2 hours to double in size.
Meantime make the filling:
Beat together 125g softened butter, 100g dark brown sugar, the zest of 1 orange, 1 tbsp maple syrup.
When the dough is ready lightly dust a large tray with flour, Place the dough on it and press out to a 45cm even rectangle shape. Use 2 tbsp cinnamon to lightly dust evenly over the dough.
Roll the dough up into a tight sausage shape with the edge seal on the bottom, then cut in into 12 equal rounds. Dust 2 baking trays with flour and space the buns to allow for spread whilst baking. Before baking again leave the trays covered in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Bake 180 fan for 15 minutes.
Whislt they are cooking make the drizzle icing:
100g sieved icing sugar (don't omit sieving because if there are even tiny lumps in the icing sugar you will never get rid of them). Mix in 2 tbsp lemon juice to make a consistency thin enough to drizzle but not too thick that it forms a blob.
Drizzle over the buns when they have cooled.
When I add vegetables or fruit to cake it seems less of a guilt trip and I can enjoy it more. I was dubious about this beetroot cake but it was moist and lovely without even detecting that beetroot was used. It uses healthier rapeseed oil instead of butter. Omit the frosting if you are calorie counting but it is a rather lush topping.
Oil and lightly flour a 9 x 13" deep baking tray.
Puree 250g of cooked beetroot (prepacked in natural juices - 2 beetroot) in a food prosessor for 1 minute. Add to an electric mixer along with 3 lightly beaten eggs, half tsp vanilla extract, 250ml rapeseed oil and 300g sugar on a low speed for 1 minute.
In a separate bowl mix together 225g SR flour, 1.5tsp bicarbonate of soda, quarter tsp salt, 6 tbsp cocoa powder, 1tsp freeze dried instant coffee. Slowly add the dry ingredients to those in the mixer whilst running on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase to medium speed to beat well and combine all ingredients.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool before adding a layer of the frosting.
Make cream cheese frosting:
Using 50g room temperature butter cream by beating well with 300g non flavoured cream cheese, half tsp vanilla extract and 50g sieved icing sugar until all lumps of butter have incorporated well. When cake has cooled carefully turn upside down onto a plate, cut into 20 portions and spread a portion of the frosting on each cake.
