Swiss buns

Everybody loves a sticky bun and today I tried making them for the first time.  This is a really easy recipe and judging by my family's reactions they were another success.  The making is really easy, just make sure you have plenty of time to spare for the proving which will take at least 2 hours.  This is definitely a recipe for a day off but they do taste as good as they look.

SWISS BUNS

 

 

• 250g strong white flour
• 250g plain flour
• 7g sachet of dried yeast
• 2 tsp of fine salt not coarse
• 50g butter, softened
• 2 tbsp. caster sugar
• 100ml milk, warmed
• 1 egg
• 200ml tepid water

 

Sift the flours into a large bowl with the yeast and salt.  Make a well in the centre then add the butter, sugar, milk and egg.

Bring the ingredients together with a wooden spoon adding the tepid water a little at a time till you have a soft wet dough

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead well for ten minutes till smooth and elastic - the dough will absorb quite a bit more flour as you keep the surface floured

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and put in a warm place to rise to double its size.

 

Mine spent nearly 2 hours in the airing cupboard and came out like this

Knock the air out of the dough, cut it into twelve pieces and make them into your buns.  As you see I'm not good at making bun shapes!  Put them onto a lined baking tray and loosely cover with cling film

Put them back into your warm place for another hour or so until the buns have doubled in size.
About 20 minutes before you're ready to bake them preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6

Bake in the oven till cooked and golden.  Mine took 10 minutes.

Allow to cool on a rack and then ice as desired.  I made a simple icing with 300g of icing sugar and four tablespoons of water and it generously iced all twelve.  Try replacing the water with lemon juice for a sharper icing.