Cinnamon Tahini Rolls
Makes 8-10
These rolls take the fuss out of baking. You don’t need to wait for the dough to rise, as the slow cooker does the job, so just put them in at night and wake up to gorgeous freshly cooked buns in the morning.
For the rolls:
• 50g (2oz) vegan butter
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 250ml (8fl oz) almond milk
• 7g (about 2 tsp) fast-action dried yeast
• 400g (13oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp sea salt
For the filling:
• 75g (3oz) vegan butter
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice • 5 tbsp light brown soft sugar • 2 tbsp tahini
For the icing:
• 50g (2oz) icing sugar
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 1-2 tbsp almond milk
1 Melt the butter, sugar and almond milk and leave to cool. Stir in the yeast and leave to stand for about 5 minutes until it starts to foam.
2 Put the flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the yeast mixture and mix until a dough forms. Continue mixing on a low speed for 3-5 minutes until smooth and springy. Alternatively, mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon in a large bowl, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes until smooth and springy. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes.
3 Preheat the slow cooker if necessary.
Meanwhile, mix together all the filling ingredients in a bowl.
4 Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 inches). Spread the filling over, right to the edges. Starting from a longer edge, roll the dough into a cylinder. Use a floured serrated knife to cut into 5cm (2 inch) slices.
5 Line the bottom of the slow cooker with non-stick baking paper so that it comes at least 2 cm (¾ inch) up the sides. Place the rolls on their sides in the pot, spaced evenly apart. Place a tea towel or kitchen paper underneath the lid, cover and cook on high for 2 hours until the inner rolls are firm to the touch (check for doneness after 1½ hours and thereafter at frequent intervals until cooked).
6 Mix the icing ingredients to a spreadable consistency, adding more milk if necessary. Spread over the rolls while warm and serve immediately.