Tom Aikens’ Chelsea Buns

by

chelsea bunsCelebrate Mothers Day in style with these tasty Chelsea Buns, let your mum have them all to herself or tear and share between the family. Your mum will be made-up with this delicious treat.

Serve with a cup of tea, or if you want to start the party early, how about a glass of wine?

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 1hour

Cooking time: 25minutes

What you’ll need:

For the Dough                                     

  • 500g strong bread flour
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 80g butter
  • 35g Fresh yeast
  • 250ml warm milk
  • 6g salt
  • 2 egg yolks

For the filling:

  • 30g unsalted butter melted
  • 1 orange and lemon zest only
  • 80g soft brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 100g currants
  • 100g Sultanas
  • 100g raisins

What to do:  

1. Place the sieved flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.

2. Warm the milk, ½ the sugar and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm, add the yeast and egg yolks and leave for ten minutes.

3. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeasted milk. Stir thoroughly with your hands until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough.

4.Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a bowl and leave to rise for approx. one hour or until doubled in size, covered with a warm damp tea towel.

5. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out dough into a rectangle, about 20 x 40cm.

6. Brush the dough in the butter then sprinkle in the brown sugar, the dried fruit, zest and then dust in sieved cinnamon powder.

7. Press down the long side of the dough rectangle nearest to you by pressing it down onto the work surface with your thumb. Roll the opposite long side of the dough towards you tightly, until the roll is complete and tight. Take a sharp knife and cut this into 5cm high rounds.

8. Grease a deep baking tray with butter. Place the sliced buns cut side up into the greased baking tray leaving about 1.5cm of space between each one. You want them to be close enough so that when they rise, prove and then bake, they will bake with their sides touching, then they can be pulled apart when cooked. Leave to rise for about 30/45 minutes in a warm place.

9. When the buns are ready, put them into the oven at 180c and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden-brown. Check after 15 minutes or so and once risen and baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool, then place onto a cooling rack.

10. Melt some apricot jam in a small saucepan with a splash of water until smooth and brush the jam over the buns to glaze.

 

Recipe by Tom Aikens

Read all about StyleNest’s latest interviews on our Five Minutes With page

Please comment