Family Kitchen- Simple Almondy Buns

I think it’s right about time for some super simple baking. From start to finish these little beauties can be ready in 30mins – including icing. That is not to be sniffed at. I might also add they are delicious. I have continued my slight addiction with almondy flavours for these but if you fancy the plainest of buns then leave out the almond extract in the batter and the Amaretto in the icing. I reckon orange icing could be pretty wonderful too and for that just add orange juice to the icing sugar instead of amaretto if that appeals to you.

The muscavado sugar adds a lovely caramelly note while the cream cheese icing is a welcome break to the sweetness.

Serves: 9 buns

Ingredients:

60g Butter
60g Light muscavado sugar
1 tsp Almond extract
2 Eggs
30g Self raising flour
30g Ground almonds
Icing:
5 tbs Icing sugar
3 tsp Cream cheese
1 tsp Amaretto

Tip: I suggest using soft, room temperature butter. It’ll make everything even easier.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and sort out 9 bun cases.

2. Pop the butter, muscavado sugar and extract in a mixing bowl and beat till all nicely combined.

3. Add in the 2 eggs and beat some more. It doesn’t look very pretty at this stage, might even look a little curdled but let there be no panic.

4. Add in the flour and almonds and mix. That’s the bun batter done.

5. Now spoon it into the cases and place them into the oven.

6. They take 15mins in total, I turned mine after 10 for even baking.

7. After the 15mins take them out of the oven (they should be spongy to the touch and medium brown in colour) and let them cool down on/in the tray.

8. Meanwhile you can be making the icing. Put the icing sugar, cheese and amaretto into a bowl and mix. It’ll look a fierce mess to start but will combine soon enough. As with before add more cream cheese if you want runnier icing and more icing sugar if you want it thicker.