A good way to savour the flavour of strawberry season is to make these strawberry and cinnamon sticky buns for a morning tea treat or the night before for a breakfast treat.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:

• 80g unsalted butter

• 290ml full cream milk

• 3 cups plain all purpose flour sifted

• 1 tbsp active dry yeast (7g)

• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/2 cup caster sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp salt

For the strawberry filling:

• 1 cup strawberry jam

• 500g (2 punnets) fresh strawberries rinsed and sliced

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• 1 tsp corn flour

• 1 tsp water

To serve:

• Pure icing sugar

METHOD:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan then pour in the milk and bring up to a simmer on medium to low heat (up to 80°). Then remove from the heat and allow to cool down slightly to room temperature. This process of warming the milk and butter helps to create a fluffy texture when baked.

• Using a stand mixer, attach a dough hook, place the sifted plain all purpose flour, active dry yeast, caster sugar and cinnamon powder into the bowl followed by the milk and butter mixture. Knead the dough on low speed until combined.

• Add the egg and salt and knead further, turn up the speed until the dough comes together into a ball with a silky smooth texture. The kneading can also be done by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer.

• Turn the dough out into a bowl and allow to rest for 30 minutes with a tea towel over the top.

• After 30 minutes turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand for a minute or two. Add a little flour to the surface if the dough is still too sticky. Place the dough back in the bowl and allow to rest for a further 30 minutes.

• Repeat the knead process then place the dough in the fridge to rest for 3hrs.

• Slice up 400g of the strawberries and 2 tbsp caster sugar, place them in a small saucepan without a lid. Allow to simmer down for 8-10 minutes until the strawberries are soft but still have some shape.  Mix together the corn flour and water to make a paste and then add to the strawberries and stir through to prevent lumps forming. Keep gently stirring while the corn flour cooks down and the sauce becomes thicker. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

• Line a cast iron skillet or baking tray with grease proof paper.

• Remove the rested dough from the fridge, slice in half and roll it out using a lightly floured rolling pin into a rectangle shape.

• Spoon on a good helping of the strawberry jam along one long edge (leave 2-3 tbsp for brushing over once cooked and some for the rest of the dough) Add a few spoonfuls of the cooked fresh strawberry mixture and gently roll up the pasty to resemble a long log shape. Don’t worry if it's a bit lumpy and un even that adds to the rustic charm.

• Gently slice the log up into 3cm wide cross sections so you can see the spiral formation.

• Pack the slices into the cast iron skillet or baking tray so they are touching each other. Push in the top the reminding fresh strawberry slices.

• Repeat the process for the other half of the dough.

• Place a tea towel over the top and allow to rest for 1 hr or until the buns have risen.

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°.

• Bake the buns for 18-20 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown and have risen further.

• Add the remaining strawberry jam to a small saucepan on medium heat, allow to heat up until the jam is a runny consistency. While the buns are still hot brush over the top the heated jam with a pastry brush.

• Serve warm with icing sugar sprinkled over the top.

Prep: 25 minutes

Resting time: 5hrs

Cook: 18-20 minutes

Recipe, styling and photography by Bonnie Coumbe. Visit her site here & Instagram here.