Cream buns with mock cream and indulgence

It’s Valentine’s day today and I thought cream buns would be a cute things to post. I’m not really one for pet names, but I think that “my little cream bun” would be a rather adorable term of endearment.

Just me?

Anywho, I recently made these buns for a dear friend of mine (at his request!) and they were such a lovely treat to be able to share. They’re old school indulgence, the kind of thing I can picture my grandparents serving to friends at social events. They’re not showy, but they’re delicious and pretty enough to impress.

The buns in this recipe are not too sweet, they’re a perfect backdrop to the deliciousness of the mock cream and jam combination.

Cream buns with mock cream

Buns

• 1 sachet dry yeast
• 4 cups plain flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup warm milk
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 90g butter
• 1/3 sultanas
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp milk

Glaze:

• 1 tsp powdered gelatine
  
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp water

Mock cream:

• ½ cup jam
  
• 250g butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp warm water

Mix yeast, I teaspoon of flour, 1 tsp of sugar and all of the warm milk in a bowl and cover the bowl with cling wrap. Let it froth up in a warm place for ten minutes.

Sift the flour into a separate bowl and mix in the rest of the sugar. Add in the mixed spices, then rub in the butter. Add in your sultanas and mix. Add the yeast mixture and water, then mix to a soft dough.

Using your dough hook, mix the dough until it is smooth and elastic. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can achieve the same results by simply kneading on a floured surface

Place your dough back into the bowl you mixed it in and cover that with cling wrap for 40 minutes to allow it to double in size.

Knead the dough briefly until smooth and divide into 12 portions. Shape the portions into balls, but don’t worry about being too perfect – I love little imperfections, it gives food character!

Preheat the oven to 200°C, line two baking trays with baking paper and set 6 buns on each tray. Allow them to rest, uncovered for 10 minutes, then brush with milk.

Pop the buns in the oven for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 180° and cook for a further ten minutes. Make sure you swap the two trays at the halfway interval so that one batch doesn’t cook more than the other.

As the buns begin to cool, warm your water and mix in the sugar, then the gelatine to make the glaze. Working quickly, brush it over the warm buns and set them on cooling racks.

While the buns are cooling, make your mock cream by whipping the butter and icing sugar together until white. Mix in the vanilla and one tablespoon of warm water until glossy and smooth. When the first tablespoon of water is incorporated, add in the second tablespoon and mix thoroughly. When this is ready, spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle and set to one side.

Slice your cooled buns lengthways down the centre and fill with about a tablespoon of jam. Pipe as much cream as you can into the slit of the bun and then serve at your high tea!