Cinnamon Slice

If you have ever been to the Norwegian bakery Ole and Steen in London you will know that their Social Slice is to die for! I had a go at recreating it and think I did a pretty good job (if I say so myself)! This is an amalgamation of about 3 recipes with some Norwegian translation thrown in! Enjoy it!

Ingredients: 

For the slice:

• 1 cups of milk

• 1 packet of yeast (10g)

• 55g butter

• 1.5 tsp cardamon

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 75g sugar

• 375g flour

For the cinnamon butter:

• 55g butter, softened

• 100g sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

For the creme patissiere:

• 3 large (60g) egg yolks

• 65g granulated sugar

• 15g all-purpose flour

• 15g corn flour

• 300 ml whole milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 1 egg

• 25g flaked almonds

For the decoration:

• 100g Icing Sugar

• Water

Method:

1.     Melt the butter in a pot and then add the milk and mix. Take off the heat add the yeast and stir. 

2.     In a mixing bowl add the sugar, salt, cardamon and the flour (save a little for dusting later) then pour in the milk/butter mixture. 

3.     If using a mixer use the dough hook and mix until all the ingredients are combined or if using your hands mix roughly in the bowl first then tip out onto a clean surface and knead into a smooth dough. If the mixture is still sticky add a little more flour. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a tea towel and let it rise until doubled in size (around 50 mins)

4.     Make the cinnamon butter by mixing the soft butter, sugar and cinnamon until it is all incorporated and resembles a paste.

5.     Make the creme patissiere (custard)

a.     In a medium bowl, mix together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and creamy, then whisk in the corn flour and flour and set aside.

b.     Put the milk and vanilla extract in a pot on a medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while simultaneously whisking constantly until smooth.

c.     Transfer mixture back into saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly so that the eggs don’t curdle, until the mixture thickens. 

d.     Once thick remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Press a piece of clingfilm directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent it from creating a ‘skin’. Let it cool to room temperature.

6.     Roll the dough out into a rectangle roughly 25cm x 50cm.

7.     Spread the cinnamon butter onto of the dough until it is all covered, then spread the custard on top of the cinnamon butter.

8.     From the long side of the rectangle roll the pastry into a tube and then be careful and transfer it to a baking tray. 

9.     From the top of the tube cut into the dough about 2cm down keep repeating this at 2cm intervals along the top of the pastry. 

10.  Let the slice prove again by leaving it on the side uncovered for 25mins.

11.  Heat your oven to 220 degrees C.

12.  Whisk an egg and brush over the slice and then sprinkle the almonds over the top just before you put it in the oven then bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Use a knife to test that your slice is cooked all the way through, the custard will make it a bit sticky but check that the pastry is cooked. 

13. Once cooled make the icing sugar by adding a few drops of water at a time to the icing sugar don’t add too much water too quickly otherwise the icing sugar will be too runny. Put the icing in a piping bag, if you don’t have a piping bag get a triangle of greaseproof paper and roll it into a funnel. Decorate the top of your slice by making zig zags back and forth along the slice.

14. Enjoy!