Pains au lait (Sweet milk buns)

I love these simple buns, both plain and with fruit. They are really soft and delicious warm or cold, or with jam / chocolate spread.

1. 1

   Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone mat. Use a little of the softened butter to lightly grease a bowl to use for proving the dough.
   Heat the milk until warm (but not hot) to touch (if you have a thermometer: 37-42 degrees C). Pour the milk into a bowl, stir in the yeast and leave for 5 minutes.
   Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and salt.
   Crack the egg into a cup, beat with a fork and add half to the bowl*. Keep the rest for glazing the buns before baking.
   Cut the butter into pieces, add them to the bowl with the milk and yeast, stir together, then knead with a dough hook for 10 minutes**.
   Place the dough in the buttered bowl, cover with cling film or a shower cap and leave in a warm place for half an hour. (It won't double in size - doesn't need to for this recipe).
   For fruit buns, put the dried fruit together in a bowl. Pour over hot water and leave to soak for 20 minutes, then drain well and pat with kitchen paper.
   Lightly dust the work surface with a little flour and tip out the dough.
   For plain buns, cut the dough in half, then cut each half into three equal pieces. Shape into balls, cover and return to the warm place to rest for 10 minutes.
   For fruit buns, pat the dough into a rectangle, scatter over 1/3 of the drained fruit, fold in 1/3 from the outside to the middle, then do the same with the other side so that the fruit is covered. Reshape into a rectangle and repeat twice more. Shape into a ball and place back in the bowl. Cover and return to the warm place to rest for 10 minutes. Then divide and shape into balls, as above.
   For round buns, reshape the dough into balls.
   For oblong buns, roll each ball out into a circle approx. 8 cm in diameter. Fold 1/3 into the middle and press down, then fold the opposite 1/3 into the middle and press down. Roll gently into a log, pressing down at the ends to make them slightly pointed, or tucking them under for rounded ends.
   Put the buns on the lined baking tray, seam-side down. Place in a large plastic bag, or cover loosely with cling film, and leave to rise in a warm place for half an hour. They will puff up, but again don't expect them to double in size. They will grow a little more in the oven.
   Preheat the oven to 210 degrees C.
   Brush each bun with a little beaten egg. For round buns, snip a cross in the centre with scissors. For oblong buns, snip a zig-zag line down the middle with scissors. Scatter a little pearl sugar on the top of each one.
   Bake for 12 minutes.
   Move the buns to a wire rack and leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before enjoying warm, or leave to cool completely.