Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm milk
50 g sugar
2½ t active dried yeast
565 g cake flour
½ t salt
2 free-range eggs, at room temperature
100 g butter, cubed
For the filling:
2 T butter
4 Flavourburst™ Envy™ apples, peeled and diced
100 g light brown sugar
½ t ground cinnamon
large pinch salt
1 T cornflour
100 g pecan nuts, chopped
For the cinnamon butter, mix:
125 g butter, at room temperature
250 g light brown sugar
2 T ground cinnamon
For the glaze, mix:
60 g icing sugar
1 T lemon juice

Method

1. Mix the milk, half the sugar and the yeast in a bowl. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, or until foamy.

2 Tip the flour, salt and remaining sugar into a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment and quickly mix to combine.

3. Pour in the frothy milk and add the eggs, then mix at a low speed for 2–3 minutes. Increase to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes.

4. While mixing, gradually add the butter, making sure each piece is incorporated before adding the next. Mix for a further 7 minutes or until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic. Roll into a ball and place into a large bowl. Cover with cling wrap and prove overnight in the fridge.

5. To make the filling, melt the butter in a pan and add the apples, sugar, cinnamon and salt and cook for 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Stir through the cornflour and cook for another minute. Leave to cool.

6. To make the buns, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangle roughly 60 x 40 cm. Spread the cinnamon butter over the dough. Spoon over the filling and scatter over the pecan nuts. Roll up the dough into a long sausage, then cut in half. Cut each half into 4 pieces.

7. Place the buns in a lined baking dish, cut side up, leaving a little space for them to rise. Lightly cover with clingwrap or a cloth and leave to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

8. Loosely cover the buns with foil and bake for 15–20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until browned. Allow to cool for 15 minutes then drizzle over the glaze.

Photograph: Saadiqah Assur
Recipes: Brita du Plessis
Food assistant: Josh van Zyl

Find more apple recipes here.