Sticky Cinnamon Rolls

So I’ve had a bit of a clear out. I think I was inspired by Nigel Slater in his new programme where he tries to use up all of his ‘shop’. Although it was less about using up my ‘shop’ and more about getting some room in my cupboards to put things in from my ‘shop’. Anyway I discovered a large packet of bread flour that allegedly was due to go off in February (I’m not sure flour goes off on an exact date – can it? Really?)  along with a variety of half-filled packets and bottles.

A light bulb moment occurred and I thought that it was be fab to make some sort of bread with lots of stuff in so that I could use up some things. I had thought about Chelsea Buns but wasn’t really in a currant mood. Then I saw a half empty bottle of honey, near empty packets of different sugar and some hazelnuts. Bingo – a plan had formulated.

This may seem like a lot of steps but trust me when I say it doesn’t take that long to make the dough. Making bread based food is great and once you see how simple it is to make dough you won’t look back. The other bonus is that this gives you a tray of buns that need to be ripped apart which is always satisfying for some reason.

As a variation you could put dried fruit inside the dough before rolling it up or chunks of dark chocolate or a mixture of seeds or grated cheese or .... well, you get then picture. Crap - now I have to buy more bread flour, which will take up space again, and make some other versions of this recipe.

Ingredients

1kg strong bread flour

1 x 7g packet easy bake yeast

1 tbsp runny honey (or a generous squeeze)

1 tsp salt

600ml tepid water (use about 150ml boiled water with the rest topped up with cold)

200g soft butter

100g brown sugar (light or dark)

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Hazelnuts (I had 80g but up to 150g would be fine and almonds would work as well)

More honey if you have it

50g demerara sugar

1.    To make the bread put the flour, yeast, honey and salt in a food processor and slowly add the water until it becomes a dough.

2.    Then turn into a bowl and use the dough hooks on your electric whisk. They’re the weird spirally ones that come with it that you never use! They work amazingly well so about 6 minutes will do. You can knead it by hand but I sometimes can't be bothered to have to scrub dough out of my fingernails. That stuff sticks!

3.    Take the dough out of the bowl. Grease the bowl with some olive oil. Put the dough back in, cover with a tea towel and put somewhere warm. You want to dough to double in size so anything from 30 minutes to an hour.

4.    While waiting toast the nuts in the oven for about 6/7 minutes on 180°/GM4. (Keep the oven on as you’ll need it later). Once done smash them into pieces. The most fun way to do this is to wrap in a tea towel and whack the crap out of them with a rolling pin.

5.    Add the nuts to the butter, put in the cinnamon and brown sugar, and mix together.

6.    Once the dough is done then roll out on a well dusted work surface. You want it about 50cm x 40cm but about 1cm-ish thick and it can be a bit bigger.

7.    Dot with the butter and nut mix and spread out as evenly as you can with the back of a spoon. Don’t panic about it being too even. Then drizzle some honey over it if you have it.

8.    Then pick up the long edge carefully and roll into a sausage. Cut into slices about 3cm wide.

9.    Get a baking tray with sides (as the honey will run out as bit) but not too high. I use a roasting tray about 26cm x 36cm. Place the slices on with the swirl showing and keep them fairly snug.

10. Put a tea towel over and put back to prove for another 40 minutes of so. You want them to double in size again so they get wonderfully plump.

11.  Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown on top, allow to cool slightly when out and then turn out so the sticky honey bottoms can cool.

12.  Devour – ideally while warm, or bring into work for breakfast and watch them go.