I think enriched dough cinnamon-style buns are my all time favourite thing to bake. Mastering enriched dough is so satisfying, especially when shop bought sweet doughs like brioche are usually not vegan! The best thing is, once you’ve got the dough nailed, you can play around with the fillings any way you want (my favourite variations so far are definitely Espresso Butter Rolls and these Christmas Vegan Mince Pie Cinnamon Rolls).
Chocolate Tahini Swirls
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
150g plain white flour
310g strong white bread flour
1 sachet (7g) fast action dried yeast
35g coconut sugar
10g white caster sugar
¼ tsp salt
55g dairy-free butter (plus a little extra for greasing the bowl and tin)
250ml soya milk
For the filling:
20g dairy-free butter
30g smooth tahini
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp sesame seeds
For the tahini glaze:
1 tbsp tahini
½ tbsp hot water
Approx. 1 tbsp soya milk (depending on how thick you want the glaze)
Method:
- In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed with 2 tbsp water and set aside to form a “flax egg”.
- In a large bowl mix together the flours, yeast, sugar and salt.
- Add the dairy-free butter and soya milk to a small saucepan and warm over a medium-low heat until the butter has just melted – be careful not to overheat – test the temperature with your little finger, it should feel lukewarm to the touch.
- Add the milk and butter mix to the dry ingredients along with the flax egg and combine with a wooden spoon until the dough becomes thick enough to knead with your hands.
- Knead the dough in the bowl for 2 – 3 minutes, until it starts to form a loose ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and continue to knead for 4 – 5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and springs back when lightly pressed.
- Place your dough in a lightly greased bowl (I use about 1 tsp of dairy-free butter), cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm place for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle with a thickness of about a £1 coin. Use a sharp knife to cut off any uneven edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the filling ingredients – apart from the sesame seeds – until smooth. If it’s a little stiff, try adding a little more syrup or a dash of water.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough using a silicone spatula or the back of a metal spoon. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
- Starting from the long edge, roll the dough into one long scroll – try to keep it fairly tight but don’t apply too much pressure so as to squeeze out all the filling!
- Cut into 9 equal sized rolls and space evenly in a lightly greased 8 x 8-inch baking tin.
- Cover with a damp cloth and leave to proof for 30 – 40 mins or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 185 Celsius and bake for 18-20 mins, until golden brown.
- While the buns are cooling, whisk together the glaze ingredients, adjusting the amount of liquid so as to reach your desired consistency.
- Once the buns are cool, drizzle over the glaze. Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I like to warm them for 30 seconds in the microwave before eating!
