Bacon & Cheese Brunch Sliders

Sweet and savoury sliders are the ideal partnership for lazy weekend brunches… Delicious with coffee or a glass of fizz!

Hands-on time 30min. Cooking time about 20min, plus resting. Makes 12

◆ 150ml (¼ pint) milk ◆ 500g pack white bread

mix – we used Wright’s ◆ Olive oil, for greasing ◆ Plain flour, for kneading ◆ 3tbsp maple syrup ◆ 50g (2oz) Cheddar, grated ◆ 12 slices maple-cured smoked streaky bacon, cooked and halved ◆ 1 egg, beaten ◆ 1tsp each poppy and sesame

seeds

1 Pour milk into a small saucepan with 175ml (6fl oz) water and gently heat until lukewarm. Grease and line 2 20.5 x 30.5cm (8 x 12in) rectangular tins. 2 Tip bread mix into a large bowl and quickly stir through the warm milk mixture. Bring together gently with your hands, then tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5min, allow to rest for 5min, then knead again for 2min. Shape into a smooth ball and rest for 5min. 3 Heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan), mark 8. Divide mixture in half, then cut each half into 12 even pieces. Shape pieces into smooth balls, put 12 into each tin about 2.5cm (1in) apart and cover loosely with

clingfilm. Set aside in a warm place for 15-20min, or until doubled in size. 4 Squash each risen bun down a little to make a patty, then brush the top of half the buns with half of the maple syrup. Top each with cheese and 2 pieces of bacon. Drizzle with remaining maple syrup and top each with a bun from the second tin to make 12 sandwiches, pushing down to flatten slightly. 5 Brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds. Bake for 15-20min until risen, golden and bubbling. Allow to cool slightly before serving. PER SLIDER 265cals, 11g protein, 9g fat (3g saturates), 34g carbs (3g total sugars), 1g fibre