A delicious mixture of pecan nuts and maple syrup encased in a richly flavoured cinnamon bread dough and iced with a butter fondant icing.

MAKES 15

INGREDIENTS

Bread

  • 550g strong flour plus extra for kneading and rolling
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons of fast-acting dried yeast
  • 70g butter plus a little extra to grease the tin
  • 350ml cool milk
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Filling

  • 30g butter
  • 175g pecan nuts, very finely chopped or lightly processed
  • 100ml maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing

  • 175g icing sugar
  • 2 - 3 tablespoon hot water
  • 30g melted butter

METHOD

1. Sift the flour and cinnamon into a bowl, stir in the salt and dried yeast. Melt the butter for the dough in a small pan, remove from the heat, add the cool milk and whisk in the beaten egg.

2. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and work together to form a soft dough. Turn out on to a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is stretchy, smooth and no longer sticky. Add a little more flour if necessary.

3. Place the dough ball back into the bowl, cover with oiled cling film and set in a warm place to double in size. This will take up to 1 hour.

4. To make the filling melt the butter and mix in the very finely chopped or lightly processed pecans with the maple syrup and the ground cinnamon. Set to one side.

5. Grease the tin with a little butter.

6. Knock the dough back to its original size and roll out to a rectangular shape approximately 45-50cm x 25cm. Cover the rolled surface of the dough with the nut mixture, spreading evenly into the corners. Roll up the dough from the longest side with the shortest sides at the ends. Cut in to 15 equal pieces, about 3cm in width.

7. Place the buns in to the tin cut ends up, 5 across the length and 3 across the width. Leave to rise in a warm place for a further 25-30 minutes or until well risen and the buns are filling the tin. Whilst the buns are rising pre-heat the oven to 190°C /170°C fan/Gas Mark 5. Bake for 25 -30 minutes until puffed up and golden.

8. Place the icing sugar into a bowl, add enough hot water to make a runny coating consistency and beat in the melted butter.

9. Coat the tops of the baked buns with the icing.

Cook’s notes

  • Best eaten on the day of baking.