Olia's latest recipe riffs on a the much-loved combination of pastry, apples and cinnamon sugar. This simple yet delicious bake is absolutely magical paired with pink fizz, like Davenport's Sparkling Rosé 2016. Bubbles for dessert may seem like a surprising match, but with juicy berry fruit and a creamy mousse, it complements the spciy sweetness of the dish.
Ingredients
1 x 7g packet fast-action dried yeast
200ml whole milk
80g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
good pinch of fine sea salt
350g plain flour
30g semolina
5 small apples, peeled and cubed
200ml melted unsalted butter
100g unrefined caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
METHOD
Add the yeast to slightly warm milk along with 1 tbsp of the sugar and set aside for 15 minutes or until it starts frothing up. Add the eggs, vanilla and salt, then gradually incorporate the flour on a flour-dusted surface. Bring the dough together by kneading it lightly – you should end up with a light, soft dough. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for an hour or until doubled in size.
For the apples, put them into a small sauce pan with a little splash of water and cook over a medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until cooked through but not falling apart.
Mix the 100g caster sugar with the cinnamon and leave in a bowl for later.
Sprinkle a tray with semolina. Dust your work surface with flour.
With floured hands, take a 50g piece of the dough and form it into a ball. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into an 8cm circle and put a teaspoonful of of the apple compote in the centre. Fold in the edges of the circle, pulling them together and pinching firmly, then roll the bun between the palms of your hands into a ball. Put the bun on the tray and repeat with the rest of the dough and apple. cover the buns with the tea towel and leave somewhere warm to prove for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put a steamer over a large pan of boiling water. Lightly brush the steamer basket with oil or butter, so the buns don’t stick to it. Add the buns, cover and steam for about 10–15 minutes. To check if they’re done, cut one in half to make sure the dough is cooked all the way through. They will be light and fluffy.
Put the melted butter into a large bowl. Dp the hot buns in the butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
For ultimate indulgence, pair with a glass of Davenport Sparkling Rosé 2016 - the juicy strawberry fruit and bright effervesence works beautifully in contrast ot the sweet butteriness of the buns.
