Even the Great British Bake-Off judge cheats sometimes, as she reveals in her new book. Here, she shares one of the delicious recipes
Chef and TV legend Dame Prue Leith is releasing a brand-new book this month, and, with 80 delicious recipes, all featuring kitchen shortcuts and hacks, it promises a lifetime of easy cooking. Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom (17 October, £25, Carnival) is packed with recipes where a neat trick can save you time, or where the cheat versions taste just as good as the home-made, and better yet, every recipe has been designed to help you avoid waste and save money. Coined by Shirley Conran in her 70s bestseller Superwoman, “Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom” is a phrase that every time-poor cook can relate to. Prue tells us: “‘It’s taken me a long life to know for sure that life is for living, and that hard graft has to be worth it. So, if you are whacked, short of time or just don’t like cooking, cheating is fine. I cheat all the time, and I LOVE cooking.” In celebration of both the book, and the new series of Bake- Off, she shared this tasty recipe for cinnamon rolls from the book.
INGREDIENTS
For the dough
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting | 50g caster (superfine) sugar | 7g instant dried yeast | 1 tsp salt | 50g butter, melted | 270ml + 3 tbsp whole milk, warmed (tepid, not hot) | 1 egg, beaten
For the filling
75g butter, softened | 75g caster (superfine) sugar | 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the glaze
100g icing (powdered) sugar | 2–3 tbsp whole milk
METHOD
1 To make the dough, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter, warm milk and beaten egg.
2 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
3 Knead the dough (see hack) on a lightly floured work surface for 8-10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea (dish) towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4 Mix all the filling ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
5 Roll out the risen dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle measuring about 40x30cm. Spread the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer all the way to the edges.
6 Starting at one of the longest edges, roll up the dough tightly into a log shape. Cut the log into 10 equal slices.
7 Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.
8 Lay the buns, cut side up, on a lined baking tray. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 20-30 minutes, or until risen and puffed up. Once risen, bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
9 While the buns are baking, make the glaze. Mix the icing (powdered) sugar and milk until you have a smooth, thick paste. Spread the glaze over the hot cinnamon buns and serve.
