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Sticky, gooey, plumptious, scrumptious, soft iced buns

Sticky buns

So poor little #2 came home from his GAA tournament yesterday feeling all under the weather.  He was cold and clammy, his head ached, his tummy hurt and he felt all ‘kind of wobbly’.  Of course, there’s only one cure for this particular group of symptoms, which is a snuggle on the sofa with the dog, the fluffy blanket, a hot chocolate and a fistful of sticky bun.  Trust me, I’m a doctor:

450g strong white bread flour

1 tsp salt

75g sugar

 1 x 7g sachet dried yeast

150ml milk

150ml water

50g butter

4 or 5 tbsp icing sugar

½ tsp liquid glucose

Sieve the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the salt, sugar, and dried yeast.  In a small saucepan, warm the milk, water, and butter over a low heat until the butter has just melted, then turn off the heat.  The liquid should be at no more than blood temperature when it’s added to the dry ingredients.  You can do this in the microwave, but remove it as soon as the butter starts to melt and stir gently until it’s all combined, otherwise you’ll be waiting for ages for it to be cool enough.

Pour most of the milky mixture into the dry ingredients and stir it around with a knife until you get a light dough.  Leave it as sticky as you can bear as you want your dough plumptiously, pillow-soft.  You can always add a bit of flour.  Now start kneading: with the heel of one hand, press and splurge the dough away from you, (imagine you’re smearing it across the work surface) then bring it back, squish it into a ball again, turn it over and then splurge it again.  As it’s quite a wet dough this is a bit messy, but that all adds to the fun.  Again, if you’re getting really covered, you can always add a bit of extra flour.  As you knead it, it will become more elastic and springy and less squelchy.

Apologies for the lack of photos here.  I was enjoying myself so much (I love my kitchen – a week away is about all I can bear) that I forgot I was supposed to photograph it for you.  Anyhoo, when you’ve kneaded for about 5 minutes and your dough is springy and pillowy-soft and looks bizarrely like a nice, round bottom-cheek (it really does, I’m sorry – maybe that’s just my filthy mind), cover it with clingfilm and leave it in the airing cupboard or somewhere else warm until it’s doubled in size.  Then, just knock it back with your fist and form it into 8 balls.  Either place them on a baking tray or arrange them inside a springform cake tin like I did, then cover and rise again until they’re puffed up.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 180/gas 6 until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.  Now while they’re baking make your icing by adding a couple of teeny drops of boiling water to the icing sugar and liquid glucose (optional but it keeps the icing from setting) until you get a thick, gloopy icing. 

As soon as they’re out of the oven…

Sticky 2

drizzle the icing all over them so it runs down the sides…

Sticky 3

…then stuff into face before your family appears to steal them  hand to little chap snuggled on sofa and watch as he feels better instantly.

Sticky 1

Of course, #2 likes these completely plain, but there are a myriad different additions I could suggest – how about a hint of spice?  Or some orange zest and a few dried cranberries?  Or some nice, juicy sultanas?  Or after the first rise, roll the dough out, spread it generously with butter, brown sugar and sultanas, maybe a little sprinkle of cinnamon, roll into a sausage and cut into rounds, arrange them flat onto a baking tray, allow to rise and then bake and, Bob’s your Auntie – you’ve produced Chelsea Buns, you kitchen legend, you.

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27 Responses to “Sticky, gooey, plumptious, scrumptious, soft iced buns”

  1. Baino says:

    Yummilicious although I still don’t know how you stay so trim with all this sticky bunness going on!

  2. Susan B says:

    EM – you are a sadist!! All those fabulous pictures of your culinary genius and I’m an absolute KLUTZ in the kitchen! I almost drown in my own saliva (gross, I know but it’s accurate!) when I see your pics! Keep ‘em coming, tho – I can gorge vicariously on all your yummtious recipes – what a lucky lad is #2!!

  3. Can you get weak white flour?

  4. Laura says:

    Nice buns! I get the whole bottom thing … but then that wouldn’t be a surprise.

    I am salivating and am even tempted to give it a go in the new kitchen.

  5. English Mum says:

    Baino: In preparation for the wedding, I’ve banned all chocolate, crisps and such. Sticky buns don’t count though as they’re home-made. Lost 1lb so far, unsurprisingly :0)

    Susan: Aw, sorry… I wonder how much bun postage is to Hawaii?? He ate about 4 and was soon better x

    DBM: Erm… I get your point, though – what makes it strong? And what’s with that special 0 stuff they use for pasta too? Cupboards bulging here at ET without more choices – sheesh!

    Laura: See I knew you’d get the whole bottom thing – it even has slight orange peel! Give it a go, oh and take photos x

  6. Jennifer (Bert's No 1 Fan!) says:

    Oh sweet Jesus….drool. I haven’t eaten white bread of any sort in weeks…I could almost lick the screen.

  7. mmmmmmmmm nice buns mrs!! tee hee would love them with spices in them too YUM!

  8. English Mum says:

    Jenn: No white bread in weeks? Gah! Need a food parcel, Petal? x

    Rach: I wanted to do the cranberry ones but wasn’t allowed! Got a bread maker yesterday half price in Tesco – just cooking up my first batch!!

  9. mmmmmmmm bread………………..

  10. English Mum says:

    Rach: It was really nice, actually – took 3 hours to make but well worth it and there’s a timer so you can set it for first thing in the morning!

    Kelleyn: Welcome! Thanks – they were somewhat scoffable.

  11. Jennifer (Bert's No 1 Fan!) says:

    Food parcel eh? Very tempting!!!

    Oh I’d say the smell of fresh bread wafting through your house is just devine…mmmm.

  12. Townygirl says:

    blimey, they look nice. i can’t eat wheat….although sometimes i do. lol. this could be a time that i would! sigh.x

  13. English Mum says:

    Jenn: Oh yes, I’m in the process of making wholemeal now. Although I quite miss the kneading it yourself bit which is good for the ol’ bingo wings…

    Towny: Ah that’s a bugger. Does chocky contain wheat LOL?

  14. Kirk M says:

    Groan, why do you have to live so far away? I want to be your best friend. Can I have one…just one?

  15. Don’t get me wrong… I love my mother, she’s amazing and wonderful and I even miss her when she goes on holiday. But ….

    Can you adopt me… please!!!

    Sofa, Hot Choc and Sticky Buns…. think I want to cry.

    My boss used to make us Cinnamon Rolls much like those… god they were great!

  16. English Mum says:

    Kirk: You ARE my best friend, dahling, you know that. Post you a batch? LOL

    Elf: There’s always room on my sofa for more – I always make too much anyway :0)

  17. Kirk M says:

    I don’t suppose you could attach a couple to an email?

  18. Townygirl says:

    lol. no neither does wine….well not enough to make me ill anway. yiha!

  19. Jay says:

    I’m so glad I can eat vicariously through you on the internet! I love iced buns, but can never eat them these days. But for goodness’ sake – don’t put ANYTHING in them. They’re meant to be plain – and split and spread with butter. YUM!

  20. English Mum says:

    Kirk: Maybe that’s the career that I’ve been looking for? E-buns!

    Towny: Phew. Thank heavens for that :o )

    Jay: Ooh yes, but I’ve been tempted by a recipe someone’s just sent me for chocolate chip cookie dough brownies – off to the kitchen!!

  21. Kate says:

    Thank you so much for this recipe! It is absolutely fantastic, exactly what I was looking for and the whole family love them. Thank you again, Cheers!

  22. [...] and chickpea curry (not at the same time) and  in July I rejigged my 70s ginger cake, made some fabulously soft iced buns and learned not to leave my dog in the house [...]

  23. Lilly says:

    How long does this recipie take? X

    • English Mum says:

      Hey Lilly, how are you? :O)

      You’d probably need about 1.5 hours altogether – it needs at least an hour rising somewhere warm and another 20 mins to cook x

  24. Lilly says:

    Okay thankss :)
    its because im doing it in food techh at school :) )
    are you actually a mum?
    Lol

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