Cinnamon Buns In Advance For Christmas Morning

Our answer

Nigella's Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) are full of seasonal spices and excellent for breakfast, and also for tea. It is possible to make the dough in advance, though you will still need to allow time for the buns to prove on Christmas Day before you bake them.

If you wish to freeze the dough, we suggest that you do this once the dough has been formed into swirls and then put into the greased pan (ie at step 3, before you brush the rolls with egg and let them prove). Wrap the pan tightly in a double layer of clingfilm (plastic wrap) and a layer of foil and freeze. The night before you want to bake the rolls, remove them from the freezer and leave in a cold place overnight to defrost. If your fridge is full then this could be somewhere like a shelf in a cold (but not freezing) garage, but avoid leaving them anywhere warm as they could thaw and prove too quickly. About 1½ hours before you want to bake the rolls, unwrap the tin, brush with beaten egg, cover loosely with clingfilm and leave in a warm place to prove. It is difficult to say exactly how long they will take to prove as this will depend on the initial temperature of the buns and how warm the place they are left in is. Keep checking the buns at regular intervals and once they are risen and puffy then they are ready to bake, following the instructions in the recipe. Nigella's Christmas Morning Muffins are also a perfect breakfast treat and are quick and easy to make on Christmas Morning.