Cinnamon Buns

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 packet yeast
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 full egg
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla essence or paste
• 1 dash nutmeg

Filling:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder

• First let’s make the dough. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 37-40 °C. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast. Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla essence.
• Whisk in the flour, sugar, salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast/egg mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, this takes about 5-7 minutes. Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary or the dough is too sticky.
• Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes. For best results place the dough into direct sunlight.
• While the dough is rising combine brown sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, cinnamon extract and cinnamon powder in a small bowl and stir together until you have a smooth paste.
• One your dough is ready role it out into a square about 1cm thick. Spread the cinnamon paste across the dough evenly.
• Cut the dough into long strip and role it up into a cinnamon swirl. Then place into a buttered baking tin or pie tin and let it proof rise for another 30 min in a warm environment covered with plastic wrap to keep the moisture in.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190 °C on fan.
• Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes. Then sprinkle with more cinnamon, and maple syrup and enjoy your stick gooey cinnamon buns while warm and fragrant.