METHOD
1. Mix the old dough/starter with the milk and sugar for the ferment. Leave to stand for 10 minutes (use warmer milk and let it stand for 40 minutes if the starter is straight from the fridge).
2. Add the ingredients for the dough to the ferment and knead by hand or mix in a standing mixer for at least 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and clears the sides of the bowl or stops sticking to your hands.
3. Cover the bowl with the dough with cling film and leave it in a warm place for 2 hours, until doubled in volume.
4. In the meantime melt the butter with the honey and corn syrup for the glaze and leave it to cool.
5. Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and dust it and your hands with more flour – it will be sticky. Stretch it to a rectangle 30 x 25cm. Using a palette knife, spread the cream cheese thinly over the dough, leaving 2 cm of the top edge clean. Sprinkle with cinnamon, drizzle with a third of the honey mixture and spread it evenly.
6. Roll the dough into a tight sausage starting with the long edge closest to you. Seal the seam by pinching the dough and roll it carefully over onto the seam side, dusting with more flour if necessary.
7. Line a square 20 cm tin with baking parchment and spread another third of the honey mixture over the bottom. Cut the roll of the dough with a sharp knife or dough scraper into 9 pieces. Place them in the tin cut side down. Dab a little of the remaining honey mix around the sides of the buns so they don’t meld together, making sure you still have some left.
8. Cover the tin with cling film and put it in a warm place for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
9. When the buns have risen and are touching one another, dab half of what you have left of the honey mixture over the tops of the buns. Bake them for 20-25 minutes, lowering the temperature to 190C/375F/gas 5 after the first 10 minutes.
10. Remove the tin from the oven and glaze with the remaining honey mixture. Leave them to cool a little but best serve when still warm.