Apricot and pistachio sticky buns

Step 1

To make the dough, warm the milk, then add the yeast, 1 tsp caster sugar and whisk. Leave in a warm place until it starts to foam.

Step 2

Mix the flour, ½ tsp salt and the remaining caster sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeasty milk, 1 beaten egg, and 50g softened butter. Knead with the dough hook until smooth, about 8 minutes, or mix in a bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Transfer to a buttered bowl, cover with buttered clingfilm and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 11/2 – 2 hours.

Step 3

Put the apricots, brown sugar and lemon juice into a small pan and simmer on a low heat until they start to break down and make a thick, chunky jam. Allow to cool, tip into a small blender and whizz to a purée.

Step 4

To make the cardamom butter, mix 75g softened butter, sugar and cardamom. Whizz half the pistachios in a blender until finely chopped, tip them out into a small bowl, then pulse the remaining pistachios until roughly chopped. Butter a 23cm springform tin, then sprinkle in half the demerara sugar and the roughly chopped pistachios.

Step 5

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 30 seconds. Roll into a 30cm x 50cm rectangle with the long side nearest to you. Spread the cardamom butter over the dough, next the apricot purée, leaving a border of about 1cm. Scatter over the finely chopped pistachios.

Step 6

Roll the dough up, starting with the side closest to you. Cut into 7 and put them, cut-side-up, in the tin on top of the pistachios. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Step 7

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas Brush the buns with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with the remaining demerara sugar. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden and cooked. Leave for 10 minutes to cool before releasing from the tin. Be careful of any leaking sugar. Leave to cool for another 10 minutes before serving warm.