Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for plum and ginger buns
Squidgy dough, sticky jam and an icing glaze make for the best of friends, especially as the weather gets cooler.Plums are such an underrated fruit, because they’re so versatile and delicious.For these buns, they get cooked down with lots of fresh ginger into a warming jam that is then rolled into a simple enriched dough.Eat warm for maximum pleasure.Prep 15 min Macerate 30 minProve 1 hr 30 min+ Cook 1 hr 30 min Makes 7For the plum jam450g ripe plums, stoned and cut into small chunks 20g fresh ginger, washed, peeled and finely minced160g caster sugarFor the dough320g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 40g caster sugar 1½ tsp dried instant yeast ½ tsp fine sea salt 100ml lukewarm whole milk50ml lukewarm water1 large egg, plus 1 extra egg for the egg wash40g softened butter 100g icing sugarStart with the jam.
Put the plums, ginger and sugar in a wide saucepan, give them a good stir and leave to macerate for 30 minutes.Put a saucer in the freezer – you’ll use this later to test the jam is done.Bring the plum mixture to a boil, turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for 15-18 minutes, until the fruit is well softened.To test the jam is done, spoon some of it on to the frozen saucer, leave for a couple of minutes, then push it with a fingertip – if the jam wrinkles, it’s ready; if it doesn’t, cook for a couple of minutes longer, then retest.Pour the jam into a shallow dish or baking tray to cool down.
For the dough, put the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, and mix briefly to combine.Make a well in the centre, pour in the milk, water, egg and softened butter, and knead on medium-low for seven to eight minutes, until smooth and a little tacky but not sticky.Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover and prove in a warm place for an hour or two, until nearly doubled in size.Knock out the air, then turn out the dough on to a lightly floured surface.Roll it in to a roughly 30cm x 45cm rectangle, with one short side facing you.
Spread 120g of the plum jam evenly on top; it might not look like enough, but trust me: if you add too much, it makes the dough much harder to roll up, plus the jam will spill out while it bakes.Starting from one of the long sides, tightly roll up the dough, then trim the ends and and cut into seven rolls.I find the neatest way to do this is with dental floss: slide a piece underneath the log, lift up both ends, cross them at the top, then pull.Put the rolls on a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, leaving a bit of space between them.Cover loosely with clingfilm and prove again for 30-40 minutes, until puffy.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5.Brush the buns lightly with egg wash, then bake for 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned.While the buns cool, mix the icing sugar and a tablespoon of water to a smooth, thick paste.Drizzle over the warm buns before serving.
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