Shared Kitchen

Real food from scratch

  • Home
  • About us
  • Cook’s notes
  • Ilaria’s Kitchenette
  • Shop
  • Search

Chelsea Buns

—

11 April 2017 BY Julie Biuso
SERVES: Makes 12 large buns

Chelsea buns

Aaron McLean

Sweetness and spice, baking and butter, Chelsea Buns have everything going for them. Get in and make them for Easter!

Yeast cookery requires commitment – allow 4 hours from go to whoa for these babies – but the rewards are well worth it. The oven will be emitting the most tempting smells imaginable, of sweetness and spice, baking and butter. You'll fall on the buns as soon as they come out of the oven, I bet. And, I reckon they should be eaten while still warm, though they're still pretty good split and toasted the next day.

Ingredients
—

1 Tbsp dried yeast 140ml (5 fluid ounces) whole milk 150g (5 ounces) caster sugar (superfine granulated sugar) 550g (1 pound 4 ounces) high-grade flour (bread flour), plus a little extra for kneading 1 tsp salt 150g (5 ounces) butter, softened 4 medium (size 6) free-range eggs, at room temperature 2 tsp mixed spice ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 120g (4 ounces) currants (if currants are dry, soak in hot water for 30 minutes, drain and dry off) Finely grated zest 1 lemon Granulated sugar for sprinkling To finish, icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar), or a simple lemon icing made by blending ½ cup icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) and a scant Tbsp of lemon juice, or sufficient to form a pouring icing

Method
—

1 Heat milk in a jug (pitcher) until it feels warms to the little finger. Sprinkle yeast granules over milk, then sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the measured caster sugar on top. Leave to dissolve for 5 minutes, then stir from time to time until yeast is dissolved (about 10 minutes). When it is ready it will have a slightly frothy cream on top.

2 Sieve flour and salt into a large bowl and rub in HALF the butter, then add HALF the remaining sugar. Beat eggs together in a bowl, then blend with the milk and yeast. Add to flour mixture, mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon, then with your hand. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes; you should not need any extra flour – it will be sticky and impossible to knead initially, but with a bit of patience, it will become smooth and slightly oily.

3 Form dough into a ball and put it in a warmed buttered china bowl. Turn dough to coat with butter. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic food wrap and leave dough a warm spot until doubled in bulk (about 1½ hours).

Chelsea buns
Cover dough with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in bulk
Deflate risen dough with a fist

Chelsea buns
Punch dough to deflate
Chelsea buns
Shape dough into a ball again

Punch the dough down with your fist to deflate it, then shape it into a ball again. Return dough to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic food wrap and leave it to double in bulk again (about 45 minutes).

4 Turn dough onto a floured board and pat it into an oblong approximately 15cm/6” wide by 40cm/16” long. Dot two-thirds of the dough nearest you with the remaining butter, keeping it in from the edges. Fold the top  third of dough towards you to cover half the buttered dough, then fold the top half of the dough over the buttered portion of dough (the unbuttered layer will be in the centre). It sounds complicated, but it is easier once you are doing it!

Shape to an oblong
Chelsea buns
Dot with remaining butter

Chelsea buns
Folding over dough
Chelsea buns
Fold to enclose buttered area

5 Roll out again to 30cm square, dabbing any exposed patches of butter with a little flour. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and the spice, currants and lemon zest. Roll up like a Swiss roll.

Chelsea buns
Reshape dough into an oblong
Chelsea buns
Sprinkle with remaining sugar

Chelsea buns
Scatter currants over sugar
Chelsea buns
Sprinkle with spice

Chelsea buns
Sprinkle with lemon
Chelsea buns
Roll up like a Swiss roll

6 Cut into 12 slices with a sharp thin bladed knife. Put buns in a Swiss roll tin (jelly-roll pan) measuring about 30cm/12” long by 21cm/8-9” wide, first lined with baking (parchment) paper. Place in a warm spot, cover with a damp cloth and leave until well risen and touching (about 30 minutes). Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar.

Chelsea buns
Cut into 12 rounds with a sharp thin bladed knife
Chelsea buns
Nestle buns in a baking tin lined with paper

Chelsea buns
Cover the buns with a damp cloth and leave somewhere warm
Chelsea buns
When the buns are puffy and filling the tin, dust with granulated sugar

7 Bake in an oven preheated to 210°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes. Serve warm dusted with icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) or drizzled with lemon icing, and accompanied by butter if you dare.

 

Chelsea buns
Dust with icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar or drizzle with lemon icing
Chelsea buns
After all that work, scoff ’em up!

If making bread and sweet buns is something you enjoy doing, get yourself set up with a decent bowl. I’ve had my classic Mason Cash bowl for 30 years and it is just the ticket because it is nice and roomy, and china holds the heat well so keeps the dough warm and aids rising. Conversely, it is perfect for pastry, too, because if you chill it with cold water first (then dry it) it will keep the pastry cool during mixing.

Also see

Chelsea Buns animation

Chelsea buns animation

Chelsea buns animation

Making Bread

5 Grain Bread

5 Grain Bread

All photography on this page is by the talented Aaron McLean http://www.aaronmclean.com

Share Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
share on Tumblr
Tumblr
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook

Comments

  1. tile stores in london ont says

    19 June 2015 at 1:45 pm

    This is a fantastic blog, thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Julie Biuso says

      10 September 2021 at 10:18 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Adriene says

    21 July 2015 at 6:53 am

    Admiring the effort and time you put into your website and in depth information you present.

    It’s good to run into a blog every every now and then that isn’t
    the same old spun information. Amazing post! I’ve bookmarked your site and
    I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

    Reply
  3. Susan says

    12 April 2020 at 12:28 am

    Thanks Julie! Guess what I’ll be doing this afternoon..:) Happy Easter and thank you for your amazing emails Susan

    Reply
    • Julie Biuso says

      12 April 2020 at 12:55 am

      That’s great Susan. Take a photo and stick it on Shared Kitchen’s Facebook page!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You might also like...

Almond Cake – load it up with summer stone fruit to make it sing!
Now is the time to make cake!
Read more
Chelsea buns animation
Watch it ... then make it! Happy Easter.
Read more

About this blog

Julie Biuso

Shared Kitchen is an ongoing collaboration between longtime New Zealand food personality Julie Biuso and upstart food blogger Ilaria Biuso.

Subscribe

Keep up to date with all the latest.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Essentials

  • 10 minutes with…
  • Tastings
  • Kitchen things we like
  • Reviews
  • Sites I like
  • Weights & measures
  • Copyright & disclaimer

Categories

  • Recently posted
  • Julie’s Blog
  • Ilaria’s Blog & Recipes
  • Special occasions
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter
  • Wine & drinks

Posts by month

  • + 2022
    • May (32)
    • April (79)
    • March (116)
    • February (80)
    • January (9)
  • + 2021
    • December (13)
    • November (17)
    • October (13)
    • September (21)
    • August (12)
    • July (14)
    • June (13)
    • May (9)
    • April (10)
    • March (15)
    • February (11)
    • January (13)
  • + 2020
    • December (11)
    • November (16)
    • October (21)
    • September (19)
    • August (10)
    • July (7)
    • June (4)
    • May (4)
    • April (28)
    • March (15)
    • February (25)
    • January (13)
  • + 2019
    • December (18)
    • November (21)
    • October (18)
    • September (24)
    • August (27)
    • July (30)
    • June (19)
    • May (30)
    • April (38)
    • March (23)
    • February (24)
    • January (18)
  • + 2018
    • December (21)
    • November (25)
    • October (28)
    • September (23)
    • August (26)
    • July (27)
    • June (27)
    • May (25)
    • April (15)
    • March (20)
    • February (22)
    • January (19)
  • + 2017
    • December (13)
    • November (22)
    • October (23)
    • September (18)
    • August (25)
    • July (17)
    • June (22)
    • May (21)
    • April (19)
    • March (25)
    • February (19)
    • January (23)
  • + 2016
    • December (8)
    • November (17)
    • October (21)
    • September (22)
    • August (23)
    • July (13)
    • June (19)
    • May (22)
    • April (17)
    • March (21)
    • February (15)
    • January (15)
  • + 2015
    • December (20)
    • November (17)
    • October (10)
    • September (23)
    • August (16)
    • July (6)
    • June (13)
    • May (17)
    • April (8)
    • March (12)
    • February (8)
    • January (21)
  • + 2014
    • December (4)
    • November (2)
Shared Kitchen Online Shop

SHARED KITCHEN COOKBOOK

Buy our Shared Kitchen Cookbook

Get a signed copy by Julie & Ilaria Biuso

Julie & Ilaria Biuso Win BEST IN THE WORLD 2021 GOURMAND BOOK AWARDS

SHARED KITCHEN Real Food From Scratch wins 2021 Gourmand Award

SHARED KITCHEN Real Food From Scratch has won Best In The World in the Blogger category at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards announced in Paris this month.

Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2015 Best Food Blogsite New Zealand

Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2015 Best Food Blogsite New Zealand

PRESS COVERAGE

Print  Radio  Television

Shared Kitchen radio and print interviews

Shared Kitchen

Shared Kitchen
Julie Biuso
2020

  • Home
  • About us
  • Cook’s notes
  • Ilaria’s kitchenette

© 2020 Please see our copyright page for conditions on use of content here

  • Home
  • About us
  • Ilaria’s Kitchenette
  • Store
  • Categories
    • Special occasions
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Baking
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
    • Winter
    • Wine & drinks
    • Back
  • Essentials
    • 10 minutes with…
    • Kitchen things we like
    • Recently posted
    • Reviews
    • Tastings
    • Tips & tricks
    • Something for the weekend
    • Weights & measures
    • What’s at the farmers’ markets
    • Back