Juicy Conference pears add a delicious sweetness to these soft and fluffy breakfasts buns complimenting their nutty and apricot centre. Pull them apart and enjoy them still warm, fresh from the oven.
Ingredients
475g white bread flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling
20g caster sugar
1 tsp fast action dried yeast
50g unsalted butter
200ml semi-skimmed milk
1 egg, beaten
For the filling
20g unsalted butter, softened
60g light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Conference pear, peeled, cored and diced
100g walnuts, finely chopped
2 tbsp apricot jam
Directions
Mix the flour and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the sugar and yeast. Melt the butter in a pan with the milk; pour into the well with the egg. Mix with a knife to form a dough, then knead on a floured surface for 10 mins, or until smooth and springy. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 2-3 hrs, until doubled in size.
Lightly grease a 23cm springform tin. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 1cm thick rectangle roughly 25cm x 35cm.
To make the filling, spread the butter over the dough and top with the sugar, cinnamon, pear and walnuts. Roll the dough up into a tight cylinder, from one of the long sides. Trim the ends, cut into 8 slices, and arrange 7 around the edge of the tin and 1 in the middle. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place for up to 1 hr until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C. Bake the buns on a baking tray for 25 mins. Melt the jam in a pan with 1 tsp water, then brush over the buns. Serve warm.
Top tip: Turn out the buns while they're still warm to prevent them from sticking to the tin.