Tender pastry, sticky jam and an icing glaze make for the best of friends, particularly during colder months. Plums are such an underrated fruit, thanks to their adaptability and wonderful flavor. To create these pastries, they're reduced with lots of fresh ginger into a heated spread that is then rolled into a basic sweet dough. Enjoy them warm for the best experience.
Ginger-Infused Plum Buns
Preparation 15 minutes
Macerate 30 min
Proof 1 hr 30 min+
Oven time 1.5 hours
Produces Seven
Plum jam ingredients
- 1 pound of ready plums, seeds removed and chopped
- ¾ ounce of ginger, cleaned, skinned and grated
- 160 grams of fine sugar
Pastry ingredients
- 320 grams of bread flour, with additional for sprinkling
- 40g caster sugar
- 1½ tsp rapid-rise yeast
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- 100ml lukewarm whole milk
- 50 milliliters of warm water
- A single large egg, and another egg for glazing
- 1.4 ounces of soft butter
- 100 grams of powdered sugar
Commence with the fruit spread. Combine plums, ginger and sugar in a broad pan, mix thoroughly and let sit for half an hour. Place a small plate in the freezer – you'll use this later to test the jam is done.
Bring the plum mixture to a boil, turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for 15-18 minutes, until the fruit becomes tender. To test the jam is done, spoon some of it on to the frozen saucer, wait for two minutes, then press with your finger – if the surface crinkles, it's done; if it doesn't, cook for a couple of minutes longer, then check once more. Pour the jam into a shallow dish or baking tray to cool down.
To make the pastry, put the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, and stir briefly to incorporate. Form a depression in the center, incorporate the dairy, water, egg and butter, and process for about eight minutes at moderate speed, when the dough becomes uniform and somewhat adhesive. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, seal and proof in a heated area for 60-120 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.
Punch down the dough, then turn out the dough on to a lightly floured surface. Roll it in to a roughly 30cm x 45cm rectangle, with one short side facing you. Spread 120g of the plum jam evenly on top; it may appear insufficient, but trust me: if you overfill, the dough becomes difficult to handle, plus the jam will spill out while it bakes. Starting from one of the long sides, neatly wrap the dough, then slice off the ends and divide into seven pieces. Unflavored dental floss creates the tidiest cuts: slide a piece underneath the log, raise both sides, twist them together, then pull.
Put the rolls on a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, leaving a bit of space between them. Tent with plastic film and prove again for 30-40 minutes, until puffy. Simultaneously, warm the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brush the buns lightly with egg wash, then cook for 18-22 minutes, when they achieve a light tan. While the buns cool, mix the icing sugar and a tablespoon of water creating a consistent, dense icing. Drizzle over the warm buns before serving.
