Sticky Cranberry and Raisin Bun

I first made these at Christmas and they didn’t last long enough to cool down properly, let alone get photographed! They are very sweet (I don’t think I noticed at Christmas quite how sweet, probably because there is so much rich food around at Christmas time). Next time I make them I am going to try reducing the sugar content: if it works I will let you know!

They are more time consuming to make than regular bread but are very rewarding. There is something really fulfilling about making nine (almost!) perfectly shaped sweet buns, probably because they look a lot more difficult than they actually are. These buns are particularly well suited to leaving for the final rise in the fridge overnight so are a brilliant option for a special breakfast or mid-morning coffee.

The cranberries and raisins go really well together and the cranberries could easily be mistaken for cherries when you eat them.

I have used a Paul Hollywood dough recipe but changed the fruit in the filling.

Fresh from the oven

Recipe

For the dough

300ml milk

40g butter

500g strong white bread flour

10g salt

10g instant yeast

1 egg, beaten

For the filling

25g butter, melted

75g soft brown sugar

100g dried cranberries

100g raisins

For the glaze

Apricot jam

Method

Make the dough: warm the butter and milk until the butter melts and leave until lukewarm.

Put the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other.

Add the milk mixture and the egg and mix well to form a dough.

Tip out and knead for 5-10 minutes, until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.

Put it into a lightly oiled bowl and leave until at least double in size. It may take 2 or 3 hours.

Line a deep sided baking tray with baking parchment.

Ready for the next stage

Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle about 5mm thick.

Brush the surface with the melted butter.

Combine the sugar, cranberries and raisins and spread over the surface.

Spread the filling over the rolled out dough

Roll the dough up lengthways into a tight cylinder and cut into 9 slices.

Place them, cut side up, in the baking tray.

Ready for the second rise

Ready to bake

Cover the dough and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Alternatively they can go in the fridge overnight.

Heat the oven to 190ºC.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Add a splash of water to the apricot jam, sieve and brush over the hot buns to glaze.

Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Categories: Baking, Bread, Fruit, Recipes

Tags: baking, bread, buns, cranberries, cranberry and raisin buns, dried cranberries, dried fruit, Paul Hollywood, raisins, recipe, sticky buns, yeast