Earl Grey Cinnamon Rolls

The dough

• 500 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 6 tsp Earl Grey powderSuperboba
• 2 tsp instant dried yeast
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 240 ml whole milk
• 115 g unsalted butter
• 100 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature

The filling

• 130 g light brown sugar
• 3 tsp Earl Grey powderSuperboba
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp fine salt
• 115 g unsalted butter, softened

1. 1

   Whisk the flour, Earl Grey powder, yeast and salt together in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Warm the milk and butter together over low heat only until the butter melts, then stir in the sugar and let it cool to just warm. Too hot and it kills the yeast, so wait until you can hold a finger in it comfortably.

3. 3

   Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients, add the eggs, and mix to a soft dough.

4. 4

   Knead 8 to 10 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave to rise about an hour, until doubled.

5. 5

   Meanwhile beat the brown sugar, Earl Grey powder, cinnamon, salt and softened butter to a smooth spreadable paste.

6. 6

   Roll the risen dough to roughly 40 by 30 cm. Spread the filling right to the edges on three sides, leaving a clean two centimetre border on the far long edge so the seam can seal.

7. 7

   Roll up from the long edge nearest you, as tightly as you can, then cut into twelve. Use a length of dental floss or unflavoured thread rather than a knife, which squashes the spiral.

8. 8

   Sit them cut side up in a buttered dish with a little space between, cover, and leave to rise 45 minutes.

9. 9

   Bake at 180 C for 25 to 28 minutes, until golden and the centre roll is cooked through.

• Bergamot and cinnamon is the pairing worth trusting here. Earl Grey has citrus oil in it already, and cinnamon meets it halfway.
• Tea in the dough as well as the filling. Filling alone and you taste cinnamon bun, not tea.
• Assemble the night before and refrigerate after cutting, then let them rise on the counter while the oven heats.