Easy night-before walnut and caramel sticky buns

For the dough, warm the milk to slightly warmer than lukewarm. Pour into a large mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and sprinkle over the yeast. Cover and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes or until foamy (this tells you the yeast is alive).

Whisk together the melted butter, egg yolks and whole egg, then pour into the yeast mix. Add half the flour and mix with the dough hook of a stand mixer or a wooden spoon, if making by hand. Add the remaining flour and salt. Knead until a sticky, elastic dough forms – about 8 minutes with a mixer or 12-15 minutes by hand.

Lightly oil a large bowl, add the dough and cover. Put in a warm place until it doubles in size – about 1½-2 hours.

For the caramel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, cream, honey and salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until caramel is golden brown and glossy – about 3-5 minutes. Line a 22-25cm oven-proof dish or springform tin with baking paper. Pour caramel into the dish. Sprinkle with first measure of walnuts and set aside.

For the filling, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt and remaining walnuts. Turn the risen dough out onto a well-floured bench, pat into a rectangle, then roll it out into a larger rectangle, about 40cm x 20cm. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the filling evenly over dough, then roll into a tight log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut into 4-5cm lengths, to give you eight pieces. Try not to squash the log as you cut – using a serrated knife and gentle pressure will help. Arrange the buns evenly over the caramel base. I start with one in the centre and move out from there. They will spread towards each other as they proof.

Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight – they will double in size. Alternatively, proof at room temperature for another 1-2 hours until they puff together.

To bake, remove from the fridge an hour before baking. Heat oven to 180°C. Bake until puffed and golden, about 30-40 minutes. If they look too brown on top and you suspect the centres are not quite cooked, cover loosely with foil.

Rest for 2 -3 minutes, loosen the edges carefully and quickly invert onto a large serving dish with a lip. Scrape any residual sauce over the buns. Eat warm, or even slathered with butter!