Cornish Saffron Buns Food

CORNISH SAFFRON BUNS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a saucepan to almost boiling point. Remove from the heat and lightly crumble the saffron threads between your fingers into the milk, then stir. Stir in the clotted cream and butter until fully melted. Set aside to infuse for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is about blood temperature and a golden yellow colour.
• Combine the sifted flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a dough hook. Make a well in the centre and add the warm milk mixture. Stir to combine. Knead on a slow speed for about 5 minutes.
• Add the raisins and mixed peel and continue to knead for a further 5 minutes until the dough feels springy and elastic. It should bounce back when pressed with a finger.
• Cover the bowl with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size. (Alternatively combine all the ingredients - except the raisins and peel - in a bowl and add the warm milk mixture. Knead by hand briefly until you have a smooth dough, then add the dried fruit and knead for a further 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic).
• When risen, turn the dough out onto a floured board and knock it back (knock the air out of the dough) and knead for a couple of minutes.
• Divide the dough into 8-10 even pieces and roll each into a ball. Arrange them on on a baking sheet, leaving some space between each. Cover with a tea towel or cling film and leave to rise again for about 25-30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Bake the buns for about 20 minutes until risen and golden.
• While the buns are in the oven, make the glaze. Dissolve the caster sugar in a pan with 3 tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil for about a minute to create a glossy syrup.
• Remove the buns from the oven and put on a wire rack. Brush the tops with the syrup and leave to cool a little. Serve warm with butter or clotted cream, or allow to cool and serve halved and toasted with butter.

ST LUCIA SAFFRON BUNS

Steps:

• Put the milk in a small pan and gently heat until it's steaming. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the saffron into a powder. Add this to the pan of milk along with the butter. Swirl to melt the butter, then set aside until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, caster sugar, 1 tsp salt and the yeast together, and make a well in the middle of the bowl. Pour in the milk mixture along with the egg. Mix together to form a sticky dough, then turn out onto the work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (this will take about 10 mins). Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Set the bowl in a warm part of the house and allow to rise for about 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Knock back the dough and divide into 12 equal portions. Cover the pieces with the oiled cling film while you make the rolls - this will stop the dough from drying out. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll out into a 30cm-long strand. Roll up one end into the middle, turn over and roll the other end into the middle, forming the dough into an S-shape. Place the buns on a large (or 2 smaller) parchment-lined baking tray. Once all the buns are made, lightly cover with oiled cling film and prove until almost doubled in size (if making ahead, keep the dough in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning). While the buns prove, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When ready to bake, brush the buns with beaten egg and press a currant into the centre of each spiral. Put the trays in the oven and bake for around 15 mins. Allow to cool before serving. These are best eaten on the day they are made but will keep for a couple of days.