"MAKES 16
PREP 30 minutes + 90 minutes rising
COOK 20-25 minutes + 15 minutes for filling
Ingredients
250g wholemeal flour
200g plain flour
20g caster sugar
7g sachet fast-acting yeast
50ml rapeseed oil (reserve 2 tsp to oil bowl and baking sheet)
1 egg, beaten
200ml milk, warmed to lukewarm (reserve dash to brush buns)
1 tsp honey
For the filling:
2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 tbsp water
2 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
2–3 tsp granulated sweetener
70g raisins
Method
Mix the wholemeal and plain flour with the sugar and yeast. Make a well in the middle.
Add the oil, egg and half the milk. Mix well, gradually adding the rest of the milk until it comes together as a dough.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes until it becomes elastic. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to double in size.
Meanwhile, make the filling: add the apples to a pan with the water, cover and cook for 10 minutes over a low to medium heat, mashing with a fork occasionally until they are a soft pulp. Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon, sweetener and raisins. Mix well, cover and leave to cool.
‘Knock back’ the dough by shaping to its original size, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle, ½cm thick (approximately 48x30cm).
Spread the apple/raisin mixture over the dough, leaving a 2–3cm margin along the longest top edge.
Tightly roll the dough into a cylinder with the seam on the bottom, then cut into 16 pieces approximately 3cm thick.
Place the buns onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C /gas 4.
Brush the buns with the milk and bake for 20–25 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from the oven, brush with honey and allow to cool.
Chef's tips
You could use sultanas, currants or a mixture of dried fruit.Try adding some grated lemon or orange zest to the filling or use mixed spice in place of cinnamon".
