Pistachio cream buns

Place the lukewarm milk, 25g of sugar and the yeast in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, place the remaining sugar, flour, salt and vanilla extract and mix well to combine. Add the yeast mixture and 2 eggs to the dry ingredients, and mix on low for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is incorporated before adding the next piece. Mix for a further 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball then return it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge overnight.

Turn the dough out onto a surface and divide into 12 equal portions (100g each) then shape each into a ball and place a piece of cling film or a tea towel over the top to prevent them from drying out while you are shaping the rest.

Line two baking trays with baking paper.

To shape the buns, take a ball of dough and flatten it slightly, then roll it into a sausage approx. 10cm long, making sure it’s even and the ends are rounded. Place on the baking trays. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, leaving enough space between each bun. Grease the top of the buns with cooking spray and cover lightly with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 7 Whisk the remaining egg and brush the buns with the egg wash.

Bake for approx. 18-20 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the pistachio cream filling, place the cream, 70g icing sugar and pistachio paste in the bowl of a stand mixer, or large bowl. Whip until medium peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip.

Slice each bun vertically down the centre, making sure not to cut the whole way through. Place the raspberry preserve into a piping bag and pipe into each bun, then pipe the cream filling over the jam and top with pistachio slivers and gold leaf.

Dust the buns with the remaining icing sugar and serve.