Cinnamon Buns

These vibrant cinnamon buns are best eaten warm with a fragrant citrus syrup and enjoyed with a strongly brewed cup of tea. 

Place the sugar and zest into a bowl and mix to infuse.

Mix the flour, yeast, infused sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with a dough hook. Warm the milk and the water to tepid/lukewarm, and add the melted butter before whisking in the food colouring to incorporate. Add to the flour mixture and knead on medium speed for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Once done, place the dough into an oiled bowl and allow to prove until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-assisted). For the filling, soften the butter. Once the dough has doubled in bulk, knock it back and roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangular shape until it is 3-5 mm thick. Spread the softened butter over the dough and sprinkle over the brown sugar, cinnamon, and mixed spices. Roll the dough up to form one long sausage. Cut into 14 equal rounds of 3cm each. Grease 2 x Le Creuset 26cm Heritage Dishes and divide the buns equally, spacing them well. Place them spiral side up, and using a skewer, make an indentation down the centre of each bun. Loosely cover with cling film and place them in a warm spot to prove for 20 minutes until doubled in size.

Once doubled, brush each bun with milk and place in a preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. While baking, place the water, caster sugar and orange slices in a pot and place on medium heat. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn it off and allow it to cool. Once the buns are baked through and slightly golden, remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Brush the orange syrup over the buns. Serve warm with the orange slices.