Sugar Crusted Cinnamon & Date Sweet Buns

By MiNDFOOD

Sugar Crusted Cinnamon & Date Sweet Buns
A natural sweetener used since ancient times, Medjool dates have a yummy caramel-like flavour that lends itself perfectly to baking up a storm. These cinnamon & date buns make the ideal afternoon tea treat, or would be perfect to take along to a Sunday brunch.

 

Makes 6

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 80g unsalted butter
  • 2 2/3 cup ‘00’ flour
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 7g sachet instant dried yeast
  • 1 egg, at room temperature, plus 1 extra egg to brush
  • 1 tbsp raw sugar
  • ¼ cup date syrup (or maple syrup)

For the filling:

  • ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 12 (approximately 250g) fresh Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
  • 70g unsalted butter, chopped and softened
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160° fan forced). Place the milk in a saucepan over low heat and stir until just warm. Add the butter, take off the heat and stir until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Combine the flour, sugar and yeast in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add milk mixture and knead on low speed until combined. Add egg and knead until combined.
  3. Increase speed to high and knead for 3-4 minutes or until the dough comes together in a ball. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a clean, damp tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes to rest. Turn out dough, knead for 1 minute, return to the bowl, cover with clean, damp tea towel and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  4. For the filling, combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until combined.
  5. Roll the dough out to 35 x 35cm square. Spread the filling over two-thirds of the dough, then fold the bottom third up and the top third down (like folding a letter) to enclose the filling completely. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from the fridge, roll the dough into a 25 x 40cm rectangle. Cut dough into 6 x 3cm wide vertical strips and twist into ropes. Roll each strip into a spiral and place in the holes of a lightly greased 6-hole (3/4 cup capacity) Texas muffin tin. Cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes, or until risen.
  7. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve drizzled with date syrup.

 

Smart Tips:

  • The slow proof of this dough creates a light and fluffy texture because it gives the yeast more time to process the sugar.
  • If you don’t have a Texas muffin tin, you can make 12 free-form buns.

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