Sticky toffee pudding buns

It goes without saying that a sticky toffee pudding is the nations favourite dessert. I’m, of course, generalising here, but I think it’s pretty accurate. Every interview I listen to, most guests say it would be their last meal. So I think my prior point stands.

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to the sticky toffee pudding BUN. Combining two of the greatest inventions in life… sticky toffee puds and sweet buns. They’re swirled with salted caramel and have a delicious date puree and brown sugar in the dough! The bread baking legend that is Barney Desmazery (find his instagram here) taught me a trick on how to make cinnamon buns super soft, that I have permission to share with you - cover them with foil in the first 20 mins of baking. Total game changer.

200g pitted medjool dates

500g strong bread flour + extra for dusting

50g light brown sugar

7g / 1 sachet fast action dried yeast

Pinch fine salt

1 large egg, room temperature

50g salted butter, cubed + melted

397g tin carnation caramel 

Pinch sea salt (I either use Maldon or Cornish)

1 Pour 200ml of boiling water over the pitted dates and leave to softened for 5 – 8 mins. Meanwhile put the bread flour and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. You may have to break the sugar up with your hands if there are any clumps. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour and the fine salt into the other side and then mix it all together. (this prevents the salt from killing the yeast when you combine them).

2 Put the dates and soaking water into a food processor or use a stick blender to blitz it into a smooth date puree. The date mixture should be warm but not hot. If it’s too hot then allow it to cool slightly, and if it’s too cold blast it in the microwave so that it’s slightly warm. 

3 Add the egg, melted butter and date puree into the flour mixture, stir to combine and then start kneading (either by hand or using a dough hook on the stand mixer). Add up to 50ml warm water if it’s too dry to form a soft dough.

It will take around 8 – 10 mins to knead until you have a smooth dough. Gather the dough into a ball. 

4 Put the dough into a clean bowl and cover the top with a tea towel. Leave to prove for 1 hour 30 mins (or in the fridge overnight). It should be doubled in size. 

5 Line a deep 20cm square baking tin with butter and parchment paper (I usually do 2 strips each way across the tin so it’s easier to lift out). Put the caramel into a bowl and mix with a big pinch of sea salt, beating until it loosens.

6 Take your proved dough and put it on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll it out to around 14” x 18” (35cm x 45cm). Evenly spread half of the caramel across the pastry. From the longest side, roll up into a tight spiral, don’t worry if some of the caramel comes out – it will be a bit messy. 

7 Cut the log into 9 even pieces and place into the prepared tin 3 x 3. Don’t worry if some of the caramel is oozing out. Cover and leave to prove for an hour (or 2 hours if proved the first time in the fridge) until risen slightly. 

8 Heat oven to 200C/ 180C fan/ Gas 6. Cover the tin with foil and bake for 20 mins, remove the foil and bake for another 20 -22 mins until they’re a golden colour. Allow to cool for 10 mins.

9 Add 1 tbsp water into the left over caramel and drizzle over the buns. These are amazing eaten warm! And when you devour them the following days, splash them with a little water and blast them in the microwave – delicious!