Coconut and Cardamom Sweet Buns

If you are looking or an alternative use for your cupcake or muffin tray, these delicious sweet buns are a great alternative for the more adventurous baker. The combination of coconut and cardamom creates a sweet, rich flavour and makes these a small but delicious treat. The buns are best served warm with a hot drink, perhaps as you gather together after an autumnal walk.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Plus approx. 2 hours proving
Baking time: 25 minutes
Makes: 12 buns

Equipment:

Pyrex Asimetria 12 cup muffin tray
Pyrex 1 litre glass mixing bowl
Cling film
Sharp knife
Pyrex 0.25 litre measuring jug
Pestle and mortar
Pyrex 0.5 litre glass mixing bowl
Whisk
Cooling rack
Pastry brush

Ingredients For the dough:

100g creamed coconut
200ml freshly boiled water
300g strong white bread flour
1 sachets of fast action yeast
3tbps golden caster sugar
1 free range egg, lightly beaten
1tsp salt

For the filling

100ml coconut cream
100g light muscavado sugar
100g desiccated coconut
1tbsp cinnamon
6-8 cardamom pods (crush the pods, remove the green outer and then grind the seeds in a pestle and mortar to a fine powder)
175g soft unsalted butter

For the icing

50g creamed coconut
100ml freshly boiled water
300g icing sugar

Method – Coconut and Cardamom Sweet Buns:

1. Put 150g of creamed coconut into your Pyrex measuring jug filled with 300ml of freshly boiled water and stir until it’s dissolved, then stir in the sugar and salt.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix the flour and yeast together and make a well in the centre.
3. Pour the coconut mixture and the beaten egg into the well and stir the mixture together to form a ball of dough. Tip: make sure the temperature is blood heat. You may need to add a little extra liquid if the mixture is too dry.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and knead for at least 10-15 minutes until you have a smooth, soft, springy and stretchy ball of dough.
5. Place in a clean lightly greased large bowl and cover with cling film, put in a warm place for at least 1-1 ½ hours to prove (by which time it should have doubled in size).
6. Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients together until all combined.
7. When the dough had proved you need to tip it out and gently flatten and stretch it out into a rectangle approximately 30cmx20cm.
8. Spread the buttery coconut filling all over the dough then roll up like a Swiss-roll as tightly and evenly as possible from the long side into a long sausage.
9. Trim off each end then slice the sausage into 12 even pieces.
10. Use a little extra butter to grease your Pyrex muffin tin then pop a bun in each (so you can see the spiral).
11. Lightly cover with cling film and put back in your warm place again to prove for a further 30-45 minutes.
12. Preheat the oven to: electric 190°C / electric (fan) 170°C / gas mark 5.
13. Bake your try of buns for 25-30 minutes until, risen and golden.
14. Make the icing by dissolving the 50g of creamed coconut in 100ml of boiled water- in your Pyrex measuring jug, then pour this into a bowl with the icing sugar and whisk together.
15. Turn your buns out onto a wire rack and then pour or brush over the icing glaze whilst still warm. Tip: place some baking parchment underneath to catch any drips. Enjoy warm or cool.