Iced Fingers Recipes

ICED FINGER BUNS

Steps:

• Measure the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
• Lightly mix the ingredients together using the dough hook.
• Slowly pour in the warm milk, and continue mixing until everything comes together into a rough dough.
• Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Once the butter has been fully incorporated into the dough, add the next tablespoon of butter.
• Once all of the butter has been added, continue kneading the dough on medium speed for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• The dough is ready when it is soft and smooth, and also slightly elastic in texture when you try to stretch it. If you poke the dough softly, it should bounce back right away.
• Lightly oil a large mixing bowl.
• Place the dough inside the bowl.
• Cover the dough with a clean tea towel, cling film, or a reusable bowl cover.
• Leave the dough somewhere warm for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size (see Kitchen Notes below).
• Once the dough has doubled in size, punch back the dough to release all of the air.
• Gently knead the dough a few times, and then knead in all of the raisins.
• Portion your dough into 16 equal pieces. If you have some kitchen scales, weigh the dough and then divide this number by 16. This will be the weight of each bun dough.
• Lightly grease two rectangular pans measuring 17 cm x 27 cm (7 inch x 11 inch) or similar.
• Gently knead each ball of dough, and then roll the dough into a small log which is a bit shorter than the short length of the pan you are using. So if your pan is 17 cm (7 inches), aim to make your buns about 13 cm (5 inches) long.
• Place 8 pieces of dough into each pan.
• Cover the pans with a clean tea towel, and place the pans somewhere warm for about 30 minutes, or until the buns have risen and puffed up slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F) (without fan).
• Make the egg wash by lightly whisking together the egg and milk.
• Brush the buns with some egg wash.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the buns are lightly golden. Check the buns at about 10 minutes, and if they are browning too quickly, cover them with a loose sheet of foil for the rest of the baking time. The buns are cooked if an internal thermometer reads 85°C (185°F).
• Gently remove the buns (intact) to a wire rack, and leave them to cool completely.
• Whisk in just enough milk to the icing sugar (powdered sugar) until you have a thick but spreadable consistency.
• If you like, add some pink food colouring. Start by adding just a drop and keep adding more until you have the colour you want.
• Leave the buns on a wire rack, but place a sheet of baking paper under the wire rack for easy cleaning.
• Use a small palette knife to spread the icing all over the (unseparated) buns.
• Sprinkle generously with dessicated coconut.
• Leave the buns for about 20 minutes to set before serving.

ICED FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• To make the dough, place all the ingredients into a large bowl, holding back a quarter of the water. Stir the mixture with your hands, then slowly add the remaining water to form a dough and knead in the bowl for four minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for one hour.
• Divide the dough into 12 pieces, each about 70g/2½oz, then roll into balls and shape into fingers about 13cm/5in long.
• Place the dough fingers onto a greased baking tray, leaving space for them to double in size, then set aside in a warm place for 40 minutes. They should just touch each other when they've risen. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes then set them aside to cool.
• For the icing, sift the icing sugar in a wide bowl and gradually stir in the cold water to form a thick paste.
• Dip the top of the cooled fingers into the icing, smoothing it with your finger, then leave to set on a wire rack.
• Lightly whip the cream and spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. Spoon the strawberry jam into another piping bag.
• Sliced the iced fingers horizontally, leaving one long edge intact. Pipe in a generous line of whipped cream into the middle of each finger, then a thinner line of jam. Dust the iced fingers with icing sugar and serve.

ICED FINGER BUNS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a pan until steaming. Add the butter and swirl until melted. Leave to cool slightly. Tip the flour and yeast into a bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, then add the caster sugar and ½ tsp salt.
• When the milk mix has cooled slightly (it should feel just warm), pour into the flour mix. If using a stand mixer, mix for 5-8 mins on a medium speed until springy. Or, knead in the bowl for about 10 mins - when the dough is pulled apart, it should be able to stretch without ripping.
• Put the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1½ hrs or until doubled in size. Or, transfer to the fridge to slowly rise for up to 24 hrs (this will improve the texture and flavour).
• If the dough is chilled, remove from the fridge 1 hr before shaping. Divide into 10 equal portions (weigh them out if you want to be accurate). To make finger buns, take a piece of dough and roll it into a rough finger shape, like a mini hot dog bun. Tuck the sides into the middle of the bun. Flip the bun over, and make sure the surface is nice and taut. Arrange on a lined baking tray, leaving space between each. Cover loosely and leave to rise for 30 mins-1 hr until doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush the buns with milk and bake for 25-30 mins until golden. Put on a wire rack and leave to cool.
• Mix the icing sugar with 2-3 tbsp water - it should be thick. Divide between bowls, depending on how many food colourings you're using (we used three). Dye each with a different colouring, adding a splash more water if needed.
• Whisk the cream and 1 tbsp icing sugar until just holding its shape. Don't overwhip, as it will thicken as you pipe (see tip below). Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle and fill with a third of the cream (see tip below).
• Split the finger buns down the middle lengthways. Spoon roughly 60g lemon curd or jam over the bottom half of each bun (or down the middle), alternating the flavours, then pipe over a swirl of cream. Continue until all the buns are filled, refilling the piping bag with cream as needed. Spoon some icing over each bun, matching the colours to the jam (we used yellow for the curd, pink for the raspberry jam and purple for the blackcurrant). Decorate with the glacé cherries, sprinkles and crystallised petals, if you like, then leave to set for about 20 mins before serving. Best eaten the day they're made, but will keep in the fridge for 24 hrs.

ICED FINGERS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, tip in the flour. Then add the yeast to one side of the bowl and add the salt to the other, don't put them on top of each other! Carefully mix in the yeast with a fork and then mix in the salt. Add the sugar and spices to the bowl and mix.
• Pour the milk, water, vegetable oil, egg and honey into the bowl and mix it together with a wooden spoon to form a dough.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and knead it for 5-8 minutes. If the dough is very wet when you begin to knead it, add more flour and continue to knead. But try not to add to much flour. Once to dough is kneaded it will still be slightly sticky, but not very sticky. You can tell when it's ready by poking the dough with your finger and the dent springs back.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place into a lightly greased mixing bowl and then cover with cling film or a tea towel. Leave the dough in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's doubled in size.
• Once the dough has finished rising, tip the dough onto a counter and pat it down to release the air pockets. Divide the dough into 8 equal sized pieces and then roll them into 5in (12cm) sausages.
• Place the dough strips onto a floured baking tray and cover with a tea towel. Leave to prove in a warm place for about 45 mins, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C; Gas mark 4. Place the tray in the oven and bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. They will also sound hollow when you tap the bottom of the rolls. Please remember that bread dough continues to cook as it cools down, so don't cut the rolls until they're cold.
• To make the icing, place the icing sugar in a bowl. Pour in the vanilla and 3 tbsp water, mix together. Then gradually add the remaining water to make a thick but slightly runny icing. When the rolls are cool, either dunk them into the bowl of icing or spoon the icing over the rolls.
• Enjoy!