Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Makes around 22 mini buns   Prep time 3hrs   Cooking time Approx 25 mins

Ingredients:

For the dough:

590 – 660g Self raising flour (this will vary from time to time)

7g/1 sachet Active dry yeast

240 ml Milk

75g Unsalted butter

70g Caster sugar

½ tsp Salt

3 Large eggs

For the filling:

160g Light soft brown sugar

35g Plain flour

1tbsp Ground cinnamon

120g Unsalted butter

100g Sultanas

1 Egg/Splash of milk for egg wash

For the glaze (optional):

100g Icing Sugar

½ tsp Vanilla extract

1 or 2 tsp water

Equipment:

Baking pans

Scales

Wooden spoon

Large mixing bowl/Stand mixer

Pastry brush

Rolling pin

Saucepan

In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or mixing bowl combine 295g of self raising flour and the yeast. 

In a small saucepan, stirring constantly, heat the milk, butter, sugar, and salt just till warm (about 50°c) and the butter is almost melted. Gradually pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, with the mixer on low speed. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then beat this mixture on high speed for 3 minutes. 

Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook (or knead by hand), and knead in as much of the remaining (295 – 365g) flour until you have a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes), but not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover with cling film and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled (approximately 1½ - 2 hours). Then gently punch the dough to release the air and let rest for 10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl stir together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with 2 knives until the mixture is crumbly and all bits are roughly the same size. 

With the rolling pin, roll the dough into a 30cm by 50cm rectangle, with the long side closest to you. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the rolled out dough and top with sultanas (if desired). 

Start rolling the dough from the long side with a fairly tight roll until you get the end. You can then roll along the length of the sausage so it is even all the way along. 

Slice the log into around 20-22 small discs (these will be around 3cm in width). Arrange rolls in a very heavily greased baking pan. I use round non-stick cake tins but you can use square baking pans or glass oven dishes. Make sure the buns have space around them to grow. 

Cover rolls loosely with lightly greased cling film, leaving room for rolls to rise, at room temperature, until almost doubled (about 1 hour). (At this point you can refrigerate the cinnamon rolls overnight (up to 24 hours). Next morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator, take off the plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 190°c/180°c fan-assisted/Gas mark 5

Lightly brush rolls with the egg wash. Bake in a 180°c oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till light brown, and a toothpick inserted into one of the buns, comes out clean. If necessary, to prevent over-browning, cover rolls loosely with foil the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking. 

Remove rolls from oven. Cool 5 minutes and then invert onto a baking rack and re-invert onto a serving plate.

You can then glaze them with the icing sugar glaze if you wish.

These are AMAZING warm from the oven but you can serve them at room temperature too or even popped into the microwave for 30 seconds if they have cooled.