Kiwi Style Iced Buns

My husband used to make the pilgrimage to our local bakery in NZ once a week for a whipped cream filled iced bun.  He begged and nagged asked me to bake some.  I hadn't baked these treats in a while so I decided to brighten up a rather cold and stormy Saturday by baking them.  

The buns are a sweet bread dough, baked then iced with strawberry flavoured icing, cut in half and filled with freshly whipped cream.  This recipe bakes 10 buns, they won't last long once they are ready to eat.

Kiwi Style Iced Buns

450g strong white bread flour
25g softened butter
25g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
300ml lukewarm milk, I used semi-skimmed
100g raisins or sultanas (optional)

Icing
350g icing sugar
1 Tblsp warm water, approximately
a couple of drops of strawberry flavouring and pink food colouring

Put the flour into a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer.  Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir through the sugar, salt and yeast.  Add the warmed milk and mix until a soft dough forms.  Knead in a stand mixer for 5 - 7 minutes or turn out onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Knead in the raisins/sultanas, if using, then divide the dough into 10 equal portions.  Shape each portion of dough into a 15cm sausage shape.  Put the dough shapes onto a greased and lined baking tray to prove until doubled in size.  This took about an hour in a warm room.

Preheat your oven to 220C/Gas Mark 7.  Once the rolls have proved bake them for 10 - 12 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, drape a clean tea towel over the rolls which will keep the tops soft.

Once the rolls are cool make the icing.  Put the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually add enough hot water to make a fairly stiff icing paste.  Spoon the icing over the top of each bun and leave to set.  Once the icing has set cut the rolls almost in half and fill with freshly whipped cream.  Serve immediately.