Regulars to the blog will know that I have got a preference for locally sourced ingredients and homemade products to bake with.
I can definitely say that’s also something that goes back to my childhood. Mum would bake or make something from scratch and then exchange that with something else that the neighbours had baked or made. And each week the market was there to get the freshest and best ingredients to play with – carefully selected based on quantity and quality (the two would always go together) – and for us kids to enjoy as a funfair of food and colours.
That’s very similar to how I feel when I visit a market now, and what I am looking for. Some nostalgia, mixed with seasonal locally grown, homemade or handmade quality products, and a sense of community that doesn’t grow on trees (but markets can help with it).
Brixton Windmill Christmas Market is no exception to that.
The other day I popped by to wander around and say hello to some of the amazing volunteers who run the windmill and the shop. It was so lovely to see many great stalls there and a cue of children awaiting to enter Santa’s grotto in the windmill (quite a special Santa indeed). Then, there goes a chat here and there alongside a good cup of tea, and I ended up browsing items at their café, which included some homemade jams of all sorts, and bought one. Now you would say that’s not a big shopping there, but I had already filled my bag with some locally produced beers. Oh, and more locally produced beers. And…beers. Anyway, back to the jam, sweet raspberry and redcurrant, for a change.
Then on my way home I started thinking about what to bake with it of course. Autumn, Christmas, gloomy weather, sweet yeasted breads craving, particularly of those with an enriched yeast dough rolled with a filling of sugar, butter and…jam. Ok, jam is not a common ingredient, but I had just bought a lovely jar full of that, so, Chelsea-like buns it had to be.
More precisely, jam and marzipan sticky buns.
Ready in a couple of hours, sweet and sticky buns, filled with that taste-amazing jam and some butter and thinly rolled marzipan that had been sitting in the cupboard for too long. Why not? – for another (good) change.
Nothing left to say, just that they are at their best served warm from the oven. But I must also say they are also pretty darn good the next days served for breakfast with coffee.
#BunsLife here I come
Makes 12 sticky buns
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 520g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 230ml full fat milk
- 65g unsalted butter, softened
- 90g egg (2 medium eggs)
- 9g dry active yeast
- 8g salt
- 45g brown sugar (demerara) plus 5g (1 tsp) to activate the yeast
FOR THE FILLING
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 350g good quality marzipan
- 300g jam (I used raspberry and redcurrant, but you can get creative with it)
FOR THE FINISHING
- 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
- 45ml water (3 tbsp)
- 45ml lemon juice (3 tbsp)
- 40g sugar (3 tbsp)
Method
MAKE THE DOUGH
- First activate the yeast. Warm the milk to 38°C, then pour it into a bowl and add the yeast alongside the 5g (1 tsp) of sugar. Set aside for at least 10 minutes, until frothy. Alternatively activate the yeast following the pack instructions.
- Pour all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a fountain in the centre and pour the egg, butter and yeasted milk. Stir with a fork or a wooden spoon until all dry bits are incorporated. Scoop it onto a work surface and knead for about 10 to 15 minutes until you get a smooth and soft dough, and it does not stick anymore. Resist the urge to incorporate more flour at this stage. If using a stand mixer, mix with the hook attachment for about 5 mins on low speed, then 5 mins on medium-low. Scoop the dough out onto a work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes to bring it together and give it more structure. Leave to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place (28°C), covered with cling film and a tea towel. If the temperature is a bit lower, increase the proofing time to 60 minutes.
MAKE THE FILLING
- About 15 minutes before the dough has finished rising, start getting the filling ready. Put the soft butter in a bowl and cream it with a spatula for a few minutes until soft (alternatively you can do this step using a stand mixer with the leaf attachment).
- On a work surface, slice the marzipan in half and roll out each half very thinly until you end up with a rectangle that measures roughly 30x40cm. Set aside. If the marzipan sticks to the countertop while rolling out, dust with a little icing sugar.
MAKE AND BAKE THE BUNS
- Once the dough proving is complete, divide it in half (use a scale to measure the weight), take one piece and roll it out to on a floured surface to a 5mm thickness, keeping it as square as possible (take your time, this step it’s very important). Trim any rounded bits from the sides, so that you end up with a 30 x 40 cm rectangle.
- Spread half of the butter, top with one of the marzipan sheets, and spread half of the jam over it, filling evenly all over the dough. Starting on the short side, roll the dough up carefully to avoid the jam to ooze out. Place the roll seam side down onto a tray and refrigerate while you repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
- Take the two rolls and, with a sharp knife, slice each roll into 6 slices, about 5cm thick. Lay them flat on a deep baking tray, at a distance of about 2cm from one another. Ensure the open ends of each slice are against each other, so that once risen, they will not unravel. Leave to proof again for 45 to 60 minutes at room temperature, covered with cling film. In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
- Prepare the egg wash. Break the egg into a bowl and lightly beat it. Once the buns have proofed, brush them with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until they’ve puffed up and they are a lovely golden-brown colour.
- Whilst the buns are cooking, make the glaze. Put the water, lemon juice and sugar in a pan, heat slightly and keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved and you get a syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.
- To finish the buns, take them out of the oven and, while still warm, lightly glaze with the syrup. Serve warm or re-heat before serving the next day, alongside a nice cup of coffee, latte or black tea.