HOT FROZEN DOGS

Teena’s mum and dad used to run a pub as far south in Tasmania as you can go, and had procured an old hot-dog toaster — the kind you’d find in your old corner store. We tried toasting some brioche on the spit, but the bread would split and our ‘hot dog’ more closely resembled the Titanic than food. So we changed to a milk roll, which allows you to toast the centre perfectly without the whole thing falling apart, and also works mighty fine with an egg and cress filling. Sorry, getting a little side-tracked. Back to that hot frozen dog…

MAKES 8 PORTIONS OF UNHOLY GOODNESS

HOT DOG BUNS

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) strong flour

1 egg

2 teaspoons sea salt

20 g (¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

30 g (1 oz) fresh yeast, or 15 g (½ oz) active dried yeast

20 g (¾ oz) butter

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) milk, plus extra for brushing

Place all the ingredients in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix for 2 minutes on low speed, then for 6 minutes on medium speed, or until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic.

Cover and leave to prove in the bowl for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into eight portions. Mould each into a cigar shape about 12 cm (4½ inches) long. Leave to prove on a baking tray for about 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.

RASPBERRY SRIRACHA

125 g (4½ oz) punnet fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons sriracha sauce

Mash all the ingredients together and let the raspberries steep in their own juices for a good few hours.

You can make the sauce smooth by giving it a whiz with a stick blender, but I quite like a slightly lumpy feel.

TO ASSEMBLE

ice cream, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºC/Gas 6). Brush the rolls with a little milk, then bake for 15 minutes, or until a light golden brown.

Remove the rolls from the oven. Leave to cool slightly, then cut in half.

Now lightly toast in the oven, cut side up, until golden and slightly crisp — or if, like us, you are lucky enough to have a hot dog machine, toast the buns in this.

Fill with ice cream, then drizzle with raspberry sriracha to keep it real.

Serve hot, in paper napkins.