FRUIT BUNS

The various homemade glacé and candied fruits, supplemented with commercial dried fruits sold from dry bins give both colour and flavour to these buns. They are rolled up with the chopped fruit like cinnamon buns. Be sure to use white bread flour and kneed the dough very elastic. Don’t cut the recipe or you will be sorry, these are really delicious.

Homemade chopped candied, glacé and dried fruits 

*Do NOT use "glazed fruits" sold in tubs, swimming in thick syrup. These are colourful enough but quite indistinguishable in flavour. The fruit flavour is all but gone and all you taste is sweet.

FRUIT BUNS

3-1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk

2 Tbsp heavy cream
2-1/2 tsp instant yeast

1-1/2 cups chopped candied, glacé, and dried  fruits*
zest of 1 lemon

melted butter for brushing
1 cup icing sugar
2 tsp hot water

• Combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, eggs, milk, heavy cream and the melted butter.
• Add the instant yeast and kneed the dough until very, very elastic.
• Place in a buttered bowl, flip over and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the dough rise until doubled. 
• Line the bottom of two baking trays with parchment paper.
• Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into an 18x12 inch rectangle.
• Sprinkle with the chopped fruits and the lemon zest.
• From the longest edge roll up the dough in jelly roll fashion.
• Cut into 12 equal portions and arrange on the prepared baking trays. 
• Leave a 2 inch space around the buns, hence the use of  two baking trays.
• Brush the tops with the melted butter.
• Let the buns rise until doubled in size. 
• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Place the buns in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.   
• Place the icing sugar in a bowl.
• Add hot water and stir to make smooth paste with drizzling consistency. 
• Drizzle icing over the buns.