Christmas Leftover Swirls

Christmas pudding? Mince pies? Christmas cake? I'm sure you still have some left.

The dough for this is simply based on my original Good Morning Cinnamon Rolls recipe. The key is in the 3 proving steps. Now, this may seem like a bit of a long and drawn out process, but actually is very easy. I tend to make these and whilst they are proving get on with some other Christmas jobs.

The beauty of these is you can use whatever you have left as the filling! So whether your desperate to get rid of those last mince pies or sick to death of that giant Christmas cake, well give them a make over with these beauties.

Christmas leftover Swirls

Makes 20

Ingredients:

Dough

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup boiling water

• 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 tbsp fast action yeast

• 2 tsp salt

• 4 3/4 cup flour (I have used any flour here - see note)

• 1 egg

Filling options:

• 3 tbsp melted butter + a good handful of Christmas pudding (crumbled)

• 3 tbsp melted butter + a good handful of Christmas cake (crumbled)

• 3 tbsp melted butter +1/2 cup mince meat (crumbled)

• 3 tbsp melted butter + 4-5 mince pies

Glaze

• Icing sugar

• Lemon juice

(see notes for ingredient replacement and store cupboard substitutions below the method)

Method:

1. Put the milk, boiling water, melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the yeast, then leave to stand for 5 minutes.

2. Place 4 cups of flour (not all! Leave 3/4 cups for later) in a bowl (I actually use a food processor to combine all this but you can do it by hand). Add the milk-yeast mixture, salt and the egg. Stir everything well to combine or pulse in the food processor. Cover with cling film and leave to stand in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled in sizer.

3. Add the remaining 3/4 cups of flour, stir to combine and then leave to rise for another 30 minutes.

4. On a floured work surface roll out the dough to a 20x30 cm rectangle. Spread the melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle with your choice of filling. Roll up the rectangle, starting from the long edge.

5. Cut into equal circular rolls, about 1 inch thick each and place on a lined baking tray about 1 cm apart. Cover the tray with cling film and place in a warm place for about 30 minutes until the rolls have risen and joined together.

6. Place in an oven preheated to 180C (160C fan) and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

7. Remove and allow to cool.

8. Make a simple glaze with the lemon juice and icing sugar, creating an icing which just drops from a spoon. Drizzle over the rolls and serve!!

Notes, substitutions and variations:​

• Flour: For best results I used 1/2 plain flour, 1/2 bread flour. However, any flour works, self raising flour is particularly light. I would say plain four works the least well, so if you use that, add 2 tsp of baking powder along with the flour.

• If you have the time you can knead the dough, which gives a great texture, but isn't essential.

• These are best eaten on the day they are made, but if they are a couple of days old just simply place in the oven with a drizzle of golden syrup to revive them.

Alternative fillings:

• Cranberry sauce and leftover brandy butter: melt 4 tbsp brandy butter and spread over the rolled out dough. Then dot with cranberry sauce. Roll up and cut as usual.

• Leftover chocolate: Use up that endless mountain of Celebrations, Quality Streets, Lindors...Simply chop them up and sprinkle on the dough. Then roll as normal.