Bread Dough - all measures are grams
Bread Flour – 700 (If using standard flour just add 10grams of gluten flour for strength)
Fermentation – 400 (see note below – best results from a wholemeal rye fermentation/leaven/starter/mother… whatever you wish to call it).
Salt - 25
Yeast – 30 (needed to overpower the spices later so your buns rise)
Water – 400
Additions
Oil - 25
Brown Sugar - 160
Egg - 1
Butter - 30
Vanilla - 5
Flour - 100
Dried Fruit – 700 (Sultana, Currants, Raisins, Cranberries, Apricot, Mixed Peel – Approx 120 each)
Glace Ginger – 25
Ground Ginger – 5
Ground Nutmeg – 3
Mixed Spice – 30 (Pepper & Me Bakers Blend)
Cinnamon – 25
Topping mix
White Flour – 150
Baking Powder – 8
Sunflower Oil – 30
Milk – 230
Glaze
Apricot Jam – 30
Water – 10
Mixed Spice - 5
Notes: Best results are to use a light wholemeal sourdough base however if you don’t have an active fermentation just leave it out of the recipe and add 200grams of flour and 200mils of water to the recipe above. It still works fine.
Method:
Mix your topping mixture and chill it. Best not to have any lumps so mix well and/or strain
Make a good strong bread dough first. This is best achieved with a spiral mixer or cake mixer with spiral attachment. You can make it by hand but the dough must be very well kneaded to be slightly glossy and using wet fingers you should be able to stretch a small amount out to make a translucent window in the dough, otherwise it is likely to not be strong enough.
Add all the other ingredients to the bread dough and mix on a low speed until all combined and delicious looking.
Tip finished dough into lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic. Stretch and fold every 30 minutes until dough is increasing in size and showing signs of yeast activity (airy bubbles). Depending on temperature this should take around 4 hours. Tip onto floured table and divide into 120gram buns. Round your dough into balls and place close together, but not touching, on a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper on it. To round your dough use a heavy hand, dusting of flour and roll like play dough into balls.
Let it rise now! Don’t be tempted to bake too soon. They need to double in size on the tray before baking. You may need to cover or lightly spray with water to stop the tops drying out during this stage.
Pre-heat your oven to 220c.
Using a piping bag and 3mm nozzle to pipe patterns on top. Try doing the initials of family or cute messages.
Bake immediately once tops are decorated. Spray with water as soon as they go in the oven.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. You can turn the oven down if they are getting too dark too early in the bake.
While buns are baking heat up your glaze mix. As soon as the buns are finished baking glaze with hot mix and a brush.
Best eaten warmed with Spicy Chocolate Almond Nut Butter and homemade jam.