Winter Spiced Buns

Not everybody is on a diet, so here is something to warm the cockles of the wintriest heart!  This was an experimental ring of spicy fruit buns, iced together like a Christmas wreath.   I made it on Boxing Day for my son and his friends, and it was the perfect antidote to a long walk along the Kent coast with the howling wind, lashing rain and screaming seabirds.   Don't be put off by the fact that there is yeast involved - dried yeast is so easy to use, and your kitchen will smell like seventh heaven, just like every mum's kitchen should smell! As you can see from the picture below, I went a bit mad with the icing....

I had time to soak the fruit in sugar syrup so that the raisins and sultanas really plumped up, and the buns were extra squidgy and delicious.  If you are reading this and wanting to bake NOW, just bring the syrup to the boil and add the fruit quickly.  Even five minutes soaking while you are assembling other ingredients makes a difference.

Winter Spiced Buns

Winter Spiced Buns

1lb/450g strong plain flour (bread flour)

1 level tbsp dried yeast

1 level tsp caster sugar

¼ pt/150ml milk

4 tbsps/60ml water

1 level tsp salt

2 level tsps mixed spice

2 level tsps cinnamon

2 level tsps grated nutmeg (freshly grated is best!)

2oz/50g caster sugar

2oz/50g butter, melted

1 beaten egg

9oz/150g dried mixed fruit (soak these in sugar syrup if you have time)

to glaze:  2oz icing sugar

                handful of glacé cherries 
                handful of flaked almonds                              Oven 190 deg C

If you have time, soak the fruit in sugar syrup – 4oz/110g sugar to ¼ pint/127ml water brought to the boil and left to cool before putting the fruit in overnight.   If time is short, stick the fruit in the syrup while it is hot, leave while you are assembling all the other ingredients, then drain off the syrup.   

In a large mixing bowl, put 4oz (110g) of the flour, adding the yeast and 1 level tsp sugar.  Warm the milk and water to approx 43 deg C – warmer than blood heat -  add to the flour and mix well.  Leave in a warm place until it is foamy – 20 minutes approx.

Mix together the remaining flour (12oz/350g), salt, spices and 2oz/50g sugar.   Into the frothy yeast mix stir the butter and egg, then add the flour mix and then the drained fruit.    This makes a very soft dough.   Turn onto a floured worktop and knead it until smooth.  Put back into the big bowl, cover with a cloth, and leave to rise until doubled in size – about 1 – 1 ½ hrs.      After that, turn the dough out again, and knead it again (about 2-3 minutes minimum each time).     

Cut the dough into 12 pieces, and shape into rolls.  Put them onto a floured baking sheet in a compact ring, cover with oiled clingfilm or a light cloth, then leave for another 30 minutes to prove.    Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.    When you take them out, you won’t get the entire ring together, so just do it in sections and reassemble it later.   Allow to cool.  Mix up the icing so that it is of dropping consistency (this might mean more icing sugar when you inevitably tip in too much water), and ice the buns, topping with halved glacé cherries and flaked almonds.