We’ve all had teachers who have left their mark on us, in one way or another. There were the good ones, or even the really good ones, capable of sparking our interest and desire to learn.
There were the friendly, funny ones, able to make classes enjoyable and entertaining.
And then there were the gym teachers.
- I remember my trigonometry teacher, who would throw chalk at anyone who wasn’t paying attention, and my history teacher, who was also an archaeologist (and just for that reason alone, he had us all wrapped around his little finger).
- I remember my Spanish teacher, who taught the class in Catalan, and my physics teacher, whom I never understood a word she said, no matter what she was saying.
Unfortunately, I also remember the traumatic gym sessions. The walls were covered with wooden wall bars, and the floor was littered with mats placed next to vaulting boxes and vaulting horses of dizzying height. Did your school also have 4‑kilo medicine balls? And why are they called that? They never cured anything for me, quite the opposite.
One would think that after 25 years, all those memories would finally rest forgotten in some dusty corner of the mind, but even today, I dream that my file has been lost by mistake and that I have to go back to school.
This digression is relevant, don’t think otherwise (I admit my introductions are becoming increasingly Kafkaesque), because today’s recipe comes from last year’s bread and dough class.
Don’t hold back on the compliments: it’s a beautiful and spectacular loaf (and both it and I love hearing you say so).
Cinnamon and Raisin Buns
Ingredients (for 12 units): For the bun dough
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Cream | 160 ml |
| Milk at room temperature | 265 ml |
| Egg at room temperature | 1 |
| Sugar | 65 g |
| Cake flour | 65 g |
| Strong flour | 455 g |
| Instant dry yeast | 10 g |
| Salt | 8 g |
| Sugar for the raisins | 20 g |
| Ceylon cinnamon powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Raisins | 125 g |
For shine:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Beaten egg | 1 |
| Room temperature water | 1 tablespoon |
| Sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| Hot water | 1 tablespoon |
Elaboration
- In a large bowl, combine the cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt; mix until the dough passes the windowpane test. You can do this by hand or in a food processor at medium speed for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the dough rises and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- We let the dough rise in a bowl covered with a cloth until it has almost doubled in volume. The time will depend on the ambient temperature of our workspace.
- Once the first fermentation is complete, we transfer the dough to the work surface, let it rest for 10 minutes, and cut it into 12 pieces of approximately 80 grams each.
- We roll out the pieces into 20 x 10 centimeter rectangles with a rolling pin, put a few raisins on top, sprinkle with some of the 20 g of sugar, and the cinnamon.
- We roll each rectangle along the longer side and seal the seam by pressing with our fingers.
- We cut it lengthwise in half, but without cutting one of the ends. We’ll end up with a V‑shaped roll.
- We interlace each V, making sure that the cut rotates so that the raisins are visible.
- Roll them up like a snail or spiral, and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Let them rise until they have almost doubled in size. You can use cupcake liners with a base diameter of at least 7 cm to help them maintain their shape, or a non‑stick cupcake pan.
- Half an hour before the end of the fermentation, we heat the oven to 180°C, mix the beaten egg with the water at room temperature, and when the oven is ready, we brush the buns and bake them for between 12 and 15 minutes, or until they start to brown on top.
- We take them out of the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. We mix the sugar with the hot water for the glaze and brush it over them. We serve them while they are still warm.
Looking for a delicious and tempting breakfast? Then bake these tasty cinnamon and raisin buns! They’re simple and easy to make, and we’re sure you’ll love them with a cup of coffee!
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 120 kcal | 6% |
| Total Fat | 2 g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.5 g | 3% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 115 mg | 5% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 23 g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g | 7% |
| Total Sugars | 8 g | |
| Protein | 3 g | 6% |
| Calcium | 30 mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1 mg | 6% |
*Disclaimer: Nutrition estimates are for general guidance only, based on a 2,000‑calorie diet. Actual values vary with raisin quantity, butter/oil type, and slice size.*