This technical challenge was presented to the bakers in series 2 episode 8. To make 12 iced buns all the same shape and all look the same is not an easy task especially when it comes to dipping the buns in icing as it can be a messy process.
Ingredients:
Buns:
500g Strong White Flour
50g Caster Sugar
40g Soften Butter
2 x Eggs
14g Fast Action Yeast
2tsp Salt
150ml Milk
140ml Water
Icing:
200g Icing Sugar
5tsp Water
Filling:
300ml Double Cream
100g Strawberry Jam
1. In a pan heat the milk until it starts to simmer. In a large mixing bowl add the strong white flour, caster sugar; soften butter, eggs, fast action yeast and salt. Mix the ingredients together.
2. Slowly add the milk and then add the water until the ingredients start to form into a dough. You may not need to use all of the liquids.
3. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes or 7 minutes if using a stand mixer with a dough hook. The dough should start to become smoother.
4. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with cling film. Leave the dough to prove for an hour or until it doubles in size.
5. Knock back the dough and then divide the dough into 12 pieces; each one should weigh around 70g. Then roll dough into balls.
6. Roll balls to form “fingers” which are around 13cm in length and place them on to a lined baking tray. Cover the buns with cling film and leave the dough to prove for 40 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 5.
7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, 5 minutes into the baking time, turn the tray around to make sure the buns cook evenly. Keep an eye on the buns as they brown quickly due to the high sugar and butter content.
8. Leave the buns to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Once the buns are cool enough to handle tear the buns into individulal pieces.
9. While the buns are cooling make the icing, in a large mixing bowl add the icing sugar and slowly add the water until a thick icing forms.
10. Dip the top of the buns into the icing and smooth the edges with your finger.
11. Leave the icing to dry for 20 minutes. Now whip up the cream until it forms soft peaks and then place the cream into a piping bag with a large round tip. Then place the strawberry jam into a piping bag too.
12. Slice the buns horizontally leaving one edge intact. Pipe the cream into the middle of the bun and then pipe a line of strawberry jam over the top of the cream.
Here is my take on this recipe, Orange and Cardamon Iced Buns have a look and see if you like it!
