Friday 14 June 2013

Banana and Honey Buns













The tradesman is back to tie up a few loose ends left over from the remodeling job he's been doing for us. I thought it was only right that I not deprive him of my sweet buns this time.


*NOTE: The original recipe makes 10 big buns ...snicker..., but I would make 12 slightly smaller buns next time. Not that there's anything wrong with big buns...



Banana and Honey Buns
slightly adapted from Jamie Oliver's Happy Days with the Naked Chef
Makes 10 big buns, ...guffaw..., or 12 slightly smaller buns (*See Note)

1 kg strong bread flour
6 bananas
8 tablespoons honey
Enough tepid water to bring the total "banana liquid" up to 625ml
30 g yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 level tablespoon fine sea salt
flour for dusting

Peel the bananas and purée them in a blender. The mix will be very wet. Pour it into a measuring jug, then top up with enough tepid water until you have 625ml.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt and give it a quick mix on low speed. Add the banana liquid and 4 tablespoons of honey and mix on low speed for 10 minutes. You will end up with a silky and elastic dough.

Pop the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and allow it to prove for about an hour until doubled in size – ideally in a warm, moist, draught-free place.

Once the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out for 30 seconds by punching it down in the bowl and lightly kneading it. Divide the dough into 10 balls (but, as I've noted, I would make 12). Then pack these next to each other in a flour-dusted baking tin where they will prove together. Leave them to prove for another hour, until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.

Before putting in the oven, drizzle generously with the rest of the honey so that the top of the bread will caramelize, going nice and golden. Bake for 25 for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before slathering with butter. Great for breakfast with a big cup of coffee and the news papers.

14 comments:

  1. I'm sure he enjoyed the buns, big or small... hehe... :D These banana and honey buns sound and look great (and healthy). And of course we can't go wrong with Jamie Oliver's recipes.

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  2. These look awesome, Jen, and I bet the banana makes them so moist and delicious!!

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  3. What a lucky tradesman! These look amazingly delicious! :)

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  4. No way!!! I've got to try this recipe!!! It seems so good and I love banana and honey together. In a bread? Hello heaven! :)

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  5. I'm sure he had to love your buns, warm plump buns - the ones with the banana and honey that is. LOL They really look good.

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  6. I'm sure that he will regret the day that he no longer has reason to enjoy your buns.. :) These look delicious. I've not seen banana and honey buns like this before!

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  7. I've never heard of banana flavoured buns, they look wonderfully fluffy!

    Your lucky tradie getting such delicious baked goods :)

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  8. Hey B. I bet my poor tradies ears are burning. And too true about Jamie.

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  9. Hey Little Kitchie - these are really moist and light - and they got rid of my stash of overripe bananas - that's never a bad thing.

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  10. Thanks Jessica. The first question the tradesman askes when he turns up, is "What's on the Menu?"

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  11. Yes Gabrielle. REAL banana bread - not cake. It's a great recipe for all those frozen bananas.

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  12. Hehe Patty. My warm plump buns were very much appreciated *blush*

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  13. Thanks Pink Patisserie. I think I'll miss him when the job is done. He was my cheerleader.

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  14. Hey Emma. This is an unusual recipe. They are actually banana BREAD (yeasted rolls), as opposed to what is normally called banana bread (which is more a cake - in my world any way). They are moist and light and divine eaten warm with lashings of butter... with a latte... and the papers... next to the fire... with your woolly socks on... listening to the rain on the window... you get the picture.

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