Cinnamon Bun Knots

I made these for my family yesterday and everyone swooned.  Not only are they pretty, the smell and taste divine.

They were a lot of fun to make too!

They could be drizzled with a typical cinnamon roll frosting but that would cover the intricate knot design. I personally think a sprinkling if powdered sugar is all they need.

The recipe makes 1 dozen and they freeze really well.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup (1 + 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups (550g) bread flour*
• 1 tbsp (10g) instant dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Cinnamon Filling

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Topping

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• powdered sugar (for topping)

Directions

1. Start by making the dough. Add all the dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. With a dough hook, mix on a slow speed for 2 minutes then increase to medium speed and mix for a further 6-8 minutes until the dough comes away cleanly from the side of the bowl. It will be a very soft dough but it shouldn’t be too sticky. If it is, add a little extra flour.
3. Form the dough into a ball and pop into a clean floured bowl. Cover and leave for around 45 minutes or until double in size.
4. While the dough is rising, make the cinnamon filling. Beat the butter, sugar, and cinnamon together with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer or just mix together with a fork or spatula in a medium bowl.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle roughly 12x16-inches.
6. Spread the filling over the top of the dough. Make sure the filling covers the whole surface.
7. With the long side facing you, fold in one side and then the other lengthways to enclose the filling. It will be in 3 layers. Now slice it width-ways into 12 strips each roughly 1.5-inches across. Next, use a sharp knife to cut twice down the length of each strip to make three strands. Braid the three strands together and then roll it up length wise.
8. Place each bun on a lined baking sheet and repeat to make 12 individual buns.
9. Cover the buns with a tea towel and let rise for 1 hour or until double in size.
10. When the buns are close to being done rising, preheat your oven to 350°F.
11. Brush the buns with the egg wash and pop into the oven to bake for between 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
12. Place the cinnamon buns on a cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.
13. Sprinkle with powdered sugar