The Cake Slice Almond Streamliner Cake

This cake is fantastic. And it's easy.
It's The Cake Slice cake of the month and I'm not the only one who thinks so...
Last week-end I was in Pescara for a class on natural dying and, knowing nobody would have eaten the cake at home, I packed it and brought it along on the bus to Pescara.

Between a blue and a green we took a break and had the cake which disappeared and had a lot of ravishing comments.
In the group in the last month there were some discussions about publishing recipes or not. Not really knowing what to do I just googled the name of this cake I found it on Ophra's site here, and on a blog here, and since a few days almost all the blogs in The Cake Slice blogroll will have it so just go ahead and check them before deciding to buy the Vintage cakes book.
Please bake this cake !!

Bread Baking Buddies : Gateau à la Crème (with strawberry jam...)

This month the Bread Baking Babes led by Lien decided to bake us a sweet tarte with a brioche dough. I should have filled the tarte with an egg custard but I'm trying to reduce the animal foods so I've used eggs in the dough but substituted corn's kernel oil for butter and jam for the custard..I hope it's ok.

The tarte looks so wonderful in all the Babes posts that I cannot wait to see mine (it's in the oven right now). I'm always too late posting for the BBB so writing a post while waiting for the oven's bell seemed a good idea.

If you have a mixer on hand this dough is very easy but by hand it would take lots of energy !

If you wish to participate to the bake along bake this bread and post before the 29th and send the links to Lien (notitievanlien(at)gmail(dot)com).

Gâteau à la crème

recipe for 2 small gateaux, or 1 gateau and a small brioche loaf (serves 4-6 per small gateau)

(PRINT recipe)

For the brioche dough
250 g strong plain flour
3,5 g sea salt
2 TBsp caster sugar
1 TBsp fresh yeast or 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3,5 free-range eggs, preferable organic (the other half egg will be used for the glaze)
150 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (cool room temperature)

For the crème filling (for two small gateaux, if you want to make 1 small gateau and 1 plain loaf, half it)
6 free-range egg yolks, preferably organic
60 g caster sugar
1 lemon, juice and zest
250 ml crème fraîche

For the glaze
1/2 egg, preferably organic
1/2 TBsp caster sugar
10 g (¾ oz) butter, cut into cubes (optional)
1/2 - 1 TBsp nibbed sugar, to decorate

Preparation method
1. For the brioche dough, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast (keeping the yeast away from the salt as it will attack it and damage its ability to ferment), in an electric mixer bowl. Add the eggs and mix with a dough hook attachment for 5 minutes on low power until the eggs are completely incorporated (alternatively, place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together for 5 minutes).

2. Increase the speed of the machine or your stirring and mix for another 5 minutes until the dough comes away from the edge of the bowl. Then add the cubes of butter and continue to mix for 2-3 minutes until completely incorporated.

3. Remove the bowl from the machine, if using, then cover with clingfilm and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to prove, then chill the dough for a further hour (it will be easier to work with).

4. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/360ºF.

5. Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Take half of the brioche dough and bring it together with the palms of your hands to form a ball, then place it on a baking tray and flatten it slightly. Starting from the middle of the dough, gently press the dough flat and spread it out to form a circle to approx 24 cm ( 9,5 in) in diameter, but leave a 2 cm (1 in) gap from the edge as this will create the rim of the tart. Be careful not to stretch the dough and try to keep the base even in thickness. Use the second half of the dough for another gateau or make a small loaf from it.

6. Cover with lightly greased plastic and a clean tea towel and place the dough in the warm area for 25 minutes.

7. For the crème filling, mix the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice together in a large mixing bowl and gradually mix in the crème fraîche. Set aside.

8. For the glaze, brush the rim of the gateau with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the nibbed sugar and prick the base of the dough evenly with a fork to help the even cooking and rising of the dough. Pour 1/4 the crème mixture inside the rim of the dough of one gateau, sprinkle with the caster sugar and dot with the butter. Pour in the other 1/4 when the baking sheet is already in the oven, so you won't spill. (make the second one the same way)  and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the brioche has risen and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then serve.

NB: For this recipe you will need a food processor with a dough hook attachment.

(adapted from: Raymond Blanc "From Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets")

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The Cake Slice : Honey Bee Cake

I'm finally blogging again and the Cake Slice group was so nice to keep me in after such a long iatus.  Here is my first recipe from the new book 'Vintage Cakes' by Julie Richardson .

This month the recipe is from the Every day section. It's a simple cake to prepare and was very fast to disappear ! I actually baked another one the next day seeing how sad my honey loving husband was while eating the last slice...

I made it using corn's kernel organic oil instead of  butter  and soy milk with lemon juice instead of buttermilk in the cake but made the glaze with butter. I really loved the smooth crumb and the honey smell.

RECIPE

from Vintage Cakes

Cake:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
3/4 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Glaze:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
heaping 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" cake pan (round or springform) and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper or wax paper.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk the ingredients by hand to ensure they are well mixed.

- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or just in a large bowl) combine the butter, sugar, honey and vanilla on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Stop and scrape the bowl down often.
- Blend in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, adding the next one as soon as the previous one has disappeared into the batter.

- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts, beginning and ending with the flour. After each addition, mix until just barely blended and stop and scrape the bowl. Stop the mixer before the last of the flour has been incorporated and complete the blending by hand with a rubber spatula to ensure you do not over beat the batter.
- Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan. Rap the pan firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the pan in the center of the over and bake for 45 minutes. The cake will turn a deep golden color and be firm on top, and a wooden skewer inserted in the middle will have moist crumbs attached. If the cake cracks on the surface while baking, that's ok. It will just soak up more glaze 

- While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Add the honey, sugar and butter to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until combined. Bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the burner to keep warm.

- When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer. Pour half of the glaze over the cake, evenly sprinkle the almonds over the cake, then pour the rest of the glaze over the almonds. Place the pan back in the oven (still at 350) for 5 more minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack for about an hour. Then turn the cake upside down onto a plate to remove it from the pan (not the serving plate), and turn from that plate back right side up onto your serving plate.

 

Bread Baking Buddies :_Assyrian Spinach Pies

After such a very very long time ..I'm still alive and baking but what I cannot actually believe is I'm writing a new post on this poor neglected blog. Anyway let's try !
The recipe I'm resuscitating my blog with is the '5th year celebration bread' that the Bread Baking Babes baked, it was chosen by Tanna from a book I own too, it's called A Baker's Odyssey: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes From America's Rich Immigrant Heritage by Greg Patent. 
The recipe it's quite easy and forgiving; I added some leftover lentils and substituted pine nuts for walnuts. I'm trying to go vegan so I really appreciated this recipe and intend to make it often also because both my kids enjoied these pies and this is a rare event in this house !
By the way in this lapse of time we've moved to a new apartment with a very big kitchen and one room for each kid. 

The recipe from Tanna's blog:

Assyran Spinach Pies

Recipe adapted from Greg Patent: A Baker’s Odyssey: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes From America’s Rich Immigrant Heritage

DOUGH
1 tablespoon active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons) = 1 package
2 cups warm water (105° to 115°)
1/2 teaspoon ground mahlab, I’ll use 3/4 to a full teaspoon next time
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for kneading, use some white whole wheat next time

3 tablespoons ground flax (my signature addition so optional, you are free to leave it out)
1 tablespoons granulated sugar, I cut this back from 2 tablespoons
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil

FILLING
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to sauté onion, 3 tablespoons to filling mix
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pound cleaned baby spinach, coarsely chopped
160 grams chopped walnuts, I increased this from 4 oz.
1 cup pomegranate seeds, increase these from 1/2 cup
2 cup crumbled feta cheese, increased from 1 cup
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1/2 – 1 cup lentils, optional but this was nice

Olive oil cooking spray
Plain yogurt for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients: yeast, flax, mahlab, flours, sugar, salt.
Mix together water (I usually “warm” it by microwaving it about 15 seconds, it’s just above room temp then) and olive oil.

2. Pour water, olive oil into dry ingredients and mix together until the dough gathers into a rough ball. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes letting the flour absorb some of the water.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured counter until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, soft and slightly sticky dough ball – mine took about 6 minutes.

3. WASH AND DRY THE BOWL – now aint that a kick in the pants, how many Babes are going to follow that directive. We know Elizabeth will. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! and rub it lightly with olive oil Elizabeth won’t do that part.

Place the dough ball into a rising container … I have a wonderful straight side clear 4 qt container with lid: I can easily see when the dough has doubled in volume. The lid means I don’t have to use plastic or even a shower cap.

Allow the dough to double in volume – mine took about 90 minutes: if you press a finger into the dough and relase it, a depression should remain and it’s ready for the next step.

4. If you follow the recipe directions and divide the dough into 24 pieces (about 2 oz each) you’ll get what I consider a reasonable portion size hand pie although we were all eating at least one and a half each. I actually weighted the balls and they ranged from 50 to 60 grams each. I might have enjoyed them more made slightly smaller say weighting closer to 40 grams … then I’d have had no quilt eating two and probably even three.

When the balls are formed, allow to rest so they will be easier to roll out.

If you’ve made the full recipe and don’t want to make them all at one go, my suggestion here would be to immediately cover however many you want to bake tomorrow or the next day and retard the balls in the fridge.

Allow the dough balls you plan on baking to rest for the 30 minutes before rolling them out.

5. Saute the onion in the olive oil, they should be nicely caramelized. Allow to cool.

6. Chop the spinach and mix with chopped walnuts, pomegranate seeds, feta, lemon juice – I used the lemon zest as well – and the olive oil. Mix all with the sautéed onions. I used a pinch of salt and some aleppo pepper.

Good ideas for alternatives and additions: pine nuts, dried cranberry, dried cherry, goat cheese, small cubes or large grating of any cheese you like, lentils I added one night to some of the filling was a real winner.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 375°.

My large cookie sheet held 6 of these at the most. I lined the cookie sheet with a Silpat but parchment paper would equally as well.

8. With a light to good dusting of flour on your counter, roll the dough ball into a thin 6-inch circle. I was generous with the dusting to prevent sticking. I tried to really fill these and used at least 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the filling for each one.
Check out this video for shaping or try the recipes directions: “Pile 1/2 cup of the filling, loosely measured, onto the center of the circle, leaving about 1 inch of dough exposed all around. Brush the exposed dough lightly with water. Imagining the circle to be a clock, lift up the edges of dough at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions to cover the top part of the filling and pinch firmly to seal, going all the way to 12 o’clock. Lift the 6 o’clock position of dough to meet in the center and pinch the two edges firmly to seal. The seams will look like an inverted Y. Set the pie on one of the prepared sheets. “

9. Before putting into the oven, rush the pies with olive oil before baking. I brushed mine with a mix of half olive oil and half melted butter 

10. Recipe suggested 375° I found I like them best at 380° (convection) and the full 30 minutes.

11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 375° to 380° depending on your oven.

TWD - Baking with Julia: White Loaves

After waiting for this new book to start I'll even manage to be late on the very first post !

Being so eager to start baking from our new book (I actually own the book since a few years) I have baked thee loaves at the beginning of january.

My kids love this type of bread very much for their afternoon 'merenda' usually with Nutella or toasted and filled with mortadella.

I really urge you to bake this bread has soon as you can : it's even very easy !
To find the recipe if you still do not own the book visit Jules and do not forgrt to admire all the more than 300 different white loaves on the twd site and on facebook  too!

The Cake Slice: Chocolate Hazelnut Bouche de Noel

I finally post about this 'work of art' that Anita and I made for New Year's Eve.

The recipe is from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle and it was a fantastic recipe for me.

Anita loved making the chocolate leaves; we used rose's, ivy's, laurel's and kumquat's leaves as a base but I confess I didn't temper the chocolate. The mushrooms were really much fun to make as well and everybody was very interested in the process of making both.

The cake itself it's a chocolate chiffon cake filled and frosted with an hazelnut and chocolate buttercreams.

I didn't know where to get praline paste so I made it myself following this link  .

Please visit the Cake Slice Blogroll to see more Bouches de Noel !

Chocolate Chiffon Cake 
65g plain flour 
130g caster sugar 
30g cocoa powder 
1¼ tsp baking powder 
2 eggs 
90ml sunflower oil 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
3 egg whites 
¼ tsp cream of tartar 

Hazelnut Syrup 
80ml water 
25g caster sugar 
1 tbsp Frangelico – Hazelnut liqueur (I omitted it)

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream 
150g caster sugar 
4 egg whites 
45ml water 
385g unsalted butter, soft 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
110g dark chocolate, melted and cooled 
2 tbsp hazelnut praline paste


Chocolate Chiffon Cake 

Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 11½ x 17½ inch swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper. 
In a large bowl whisk the egg whites and cream to tartar together until foamy. Weigh out half the caster sugar and slowly add to the egg whites, whisking constantly until thick and glossy. Set aside. 
In a clean bowl, whisk the whole eggs, oil and vanilla together until combined. Scatter the remaining half of the sugar over the top, along with the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Mix until just blended into a thick batter. 
Take one third of the meringue mix and fold it through the chocolate mixture using a spatula to slacken it. Add the rest of the meringue and fold in gently until just mixed in. 
Pour the chocolate mix into the prepared tin and spread it out into an even layer. It will be quite thin. 
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until slightly puffed and springy to the touch. 
Lay another piece of greaseproof paper over a cooling rack and lightly dust with caster sugar. 
Flip the cake layer out onto the sugar dusted paper and carefully peel off the parchment attached to the cake. Leave to cool before brushing with syrup and filling. 

Syrup 
In a small saucepan combine the water and sugar and heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and increase the heat to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before stirring in the liqueur. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream 

Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. In the bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg whites and water. Keep whisking until the mixture reached 160F on a sugar thermometer, it should turn white and glossy. Then remove from the heat and whisk with an electric mixer until the meringue thickens, becomes stiff and cool, about 5 minutes. 
Reduce the speed of the mixer and gradually beat in the butter, small chunks at a time, until incorporated. Then beat in the vanilla. 
Melt the chocolate and stir it through the half the buttercream, and fold hazelnut paste through the remaining half. (We can’t easily get nut pastes in the UK so I simply doubled the amount of chocolate and used that for everything) 

Assembly 

Lay the cooled cake, still on the paper, on a clean flat surface and spread with the hazelnut buttercream nearly to the edge of the cake. 
Starting at the long edge, fold over a thin strip of the sponge to start off your roll. Then confidently roll up the rest of the sponge to form a log. Use the paper underneath to help you lift and roll the cake. 
Trim off one end of the cake at a diagonal and place it on top of the cake to create a ‘stump.’ You can cut off another smaller piece to attach to the side too if you wish. 
Transfer the cake to a large serving plate and use the chocolate buttercream to cover the cake. 
Decorate with leaves, meringue mushrooms or however you choose. 
Place in the fridge to chill for half an hour before serving. 

TWD : Golden Brioche Loaf and Raisin Swirls

I'm enjoying these holidays to bake some recipes I haven't tried from Baking from my home to yours and the ones I really wanted to try are the yeast ones.

As Dorie herself suggests when making the Golden Loaf I used half the dough to prepare the Raisins  Snails, I had some lemon curd I had prepared few days ago so I substituted it for the pastry cream and omitted the cinnamon : these snails are so good I have to find someone to give them to !

Please visit the TWD site for some nostalgic posts.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Kids' Thumbprints

And so this is it : the last TWD post.... I really resisted publishing it because it makes me very sad but I'm sure our group will still bake together from February on our new book !

These wonderful (too much for me..) cookies were chosen by Dorie herself and I imagine they were hidden on purpose to the the las day so that we would keep a great memory of  Baking from My Home to Yours.

Bread Baking Buddies : Stollen

Our Host this month is Susan of Wild Yeast and on a very special day for her she chose to bake Stollen with us.
I came to know Stollen many years ago from my friend Jakob's mum and after so long I baked it again.
Sometimes Stollen has a marzipan roll inside which I'm not too fond of, so I enjoied this 'empty' version really much.

RECIPE

Stollen

Yield: 1500 grams (3 loaves, more or less)

Time:

• Candy and dry citrus peel: 12 hours or more (can be done ahead)
• Soak the fruits: 12 hours
• Mix and ferment sponge: 12 hours (can be simultaneous with fruit-soaking)
• Mix dough: 20 – 30 minutes
• First fermentation : 30 minutes
• Preshape, rest, and shape: 30 minutes
• Proof: 90 minutes
• Bake: 30 minutes

Sponge Ingredients:

• 120 grams flour
• 80 grams water
• 0.1 gram (small pinch) instant yeast [or 0.13 g active dry, or 0.25 g fresh]

Soaked Fruit Ingredients:

• 130 grams raisins
• 75 grams dried cherries (or more raisins, or chopped dried apricots, or a combination)
• 61 grams candied orange peel
• 92 grams candied lemon peel
• 82 grams slivered almonds
• 34 grams rum

Final Dough Ingredients:

• 348 g flour
• 53 g milk
• 25.3 grams (2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) instant yeast [or 18.6 g osmotolerant, or 31.6 g active dry, or 63.3 g fresh]
• 8 g (1-1/3 t.) salt
• 8 g (2-1/3 t.) diastatic malt powder (omit if you don’t have it)
• 51 g sugar
• 50 g egg (about one large egg)
• 5 g grated lemon zest (one average lemon)
• 5 g grated orange zest (one small orange)
• 1/3 t. of each of these ground spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, allspice, nutmeg
• 273 g unsalted butter, at room temperature (should be pliable)
• all of the sponge
• all of the soaked fruits

Finishing Ingredients:

• clarified butter
• fine granulated sugar
• powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

Method:

1. Toss the soaker fruits with the rum in a medium bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 12 hours.
2. Meanwhile, combine the sponge ingredients in another medium bowl. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine all of the final dough ingredients except the soaker. Mix in slow speed until all the ingredients are incorporated.
4. Continue mixing in medium speed until the gluten reaches full development. The dough should come together around the hook and should no longer stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl. This could take about 25 minutes or more, but will depend on your mixer.
5. Add the soaked fruits and mix on slow speed just until they are evenly distributed through the dough.
6. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered container. Cover and ferment for 30 minutes at room temperature.
7. Turn the dough onto the counter. Divide into three pieces, or however many you would like. Preshape the dough into balls and let them rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
8. To shape each loaf: Form a blunt-ended batard and dust it lightly with flour. With a thin rolling pin, press down firmly, separating the dough into two parts with one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the flap of dough connecting the sections so it is about 2 inches wide. Flatten the larger section slightly with your hand, then fold the smaller section over to rest on the larger one.
9. Place the loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets (two per sheet) and slip them into a large plastic bag with a bowl of warm water. Proof for about 90 minutes, replenishing the water when it cools.
10. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 on convection setting or 400 on regular bake setting. You will also need steam during the initial phase of baking, so prepare for this now.
11. Bake for 10 minutes, open the oven door briefly to allow any remaining steam to escape, and bake for another 20 minutes. If you do not have convection, you may need to rotate the position of the baking sheets halfway through the bake to ensure even browning and keep the one on the lower rack from burning on the bottom.
12. While the loaves are still warm, brush them with clarified butter. Dredge them in fine granulated sugar, brushing or shaking off the excess.
13. To finish, sift powdered sugar over the loaves.
14. Cut when completely cool. You can leave the stollen out overnight to let the loaves dry and the sugar crust up a bit.

TWD: Rewind : Perfect Pound cake, Cocoa Salt and Pepper Shortbread , Tropical Crumble and more

This is the one before the last of our baking binge with Dorie.....and I went almost all the way back to the beginning of the group choosing the Perfection Pound Cake which was chosen by Laurie back on Jan 22 2008. 

I would like to post more goodies ...

On July 12  Lynne of Cafe LynnyLu chose Cream scones . They were a real breakfast treat !!

On August 16, 2011  Gaye of Laws of the Kitchen chose Tropical Crumble. I wish I still could have a taste of it...

September 20  Tia of Buttercream Barbie chose Salt and Pepper Shortbread It was my first NO SPREAD COOKIE WOW!!!!

On Sept 27 Becky of Project Domestication chose Flip-Over Plum Cake. A very fun cake to bake

And on October 4, 2011  Katrina of Baking and Boys chose Apple Nut Muffin Cake a simple and delicious cake.

Please visit The TWD site for more rewind recipes !

I Heart Cooking Clubs : Cinnamon and Cardamom Buns

I'm  cooking this week for the first time with Tessa Kiros.
One of the things I love about IHCC particularly is the fact I get to know about cooks I'd never had heard of.
I bought 'Fallen Cloudberries' and I love the outlook of the book too. 
This week is Potluck so I chose to bake these wonderful buns, the house smelled like IKEA...
Please visit the blog to see much more !

Recipe

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• * * * * Bun Dough * * * *
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• ½ cup superfine sugar
• 1 (1 ounce) cake fresh yeast
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 pound plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• * * * * Cinnamon Butter * * * *
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup superfine sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
• 5 ½ tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparation:

Makes about 35 buns.

Put the milk and sugar in a bowl and crumble in the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to activate. Add the egg, butter, cardamom, and salt, and mix in. Add the flour, bit by bit, mixing it in with a wooden spoon until you need to use your hands, and then turn it out onto the work surface to knead. It may seem a little too sticky initially, but will become compact and beautifully soft after about 5 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and then a heavy towel or blanket, and leave in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

To make the cinnamon butter, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Divide the butter into four portions and set aside.

Put the dough on a floured work surface and divide it into four portions. Begin with one portion, covering the others with a cloth so they don’t dry out. Using a rolling pin, roll out a rectangle, roughly about 12 by 10 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Spread one portion of butter over the surface of the dough with a spatula or blunt knife. Sprinkle with about 3 teaspoons of the cinnamon mixture, covering the whole surface with quick shaking movements of your wrists. Roll up to make a long dough sausage. Set aside while you finish rolling out and buttering the rest of the dough, so that you can cut them all together.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, or bake in two batches if you only have one sheet. Line up the dough sausages in front of you and cut them slightly on the diagonal, alternating up and down, so that the slices are fat V shapes, with the point of the V about 3/4 inch and the base about 2 inches. Turn them so they are all the right way up, sitting on their fatter bases. Press down on the top of each one with two fingers, until you think you will almost go through to your work surface. Along the sides you will see the cinnamon stripes oozing outward. Put the buns on the baking sheet, leaving space for them to puff and rise while they bake. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle a little sugar over the top. Let the buns rise for half an hour and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake them for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden. Check that they are lightly golden underneath as well before you take them out of the oven. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature and, when they are cool, keep them in an airtight container so they don’t harden.