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    Autumn chelsea buns

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    *mandatory

    Autumn chelsea buns

    There are few things lovelier than the aroma of these buns baking in the oven. Enjoy at breakfast or for afternoon tea. They freeze brilliantly, too – just defrost and warm gently or split and toast like hot cross buns.

    • Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus rising
    • Cooking time: 30 minutes
    • Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes, plus rising time

    Makes: 12

    Ingredients

    450g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting

    7g sachet quick yeast

    50g light brown soft sugar

    1 tbsp mixed spice

    200ml whole milk

    50g unsalted butter, melted

    1 egg yolk

    3 tbsp syrup from a jar of stem ginger

     

    FILLING & DECORATION

    60g unsalted butter (30g melted, 30g softened), plus extra for greasing

    2 small eating apples (worcester, royal gala or spartan, or use jazz or estivale later in the year), peeled, cored and diced

    3 balls stem ginger, finely chopped

    150g pitted dates, diced

    1 tsp mixed spice

    50g light brown soft sugar

    1 egg white

    2 tbsp golden icing sugar, for icing

    Method

    1 Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and mixed spice in a big bowl. Warm the milk gently in a pan or in the microwave, then whisk with the butter, egg yolk and ginger syrup. Stir into the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic; return to the bowl, cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

    2 Grease a 23cm x 33cm high-sided baking tray with butter. For the filling, stir together the melted butter, apples, stem ginger, dates, mixed spice and brown sugar.

    3 When the dough has risen, tip onto a lightly floured surface and roll to a 40cm x 30cm rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle over the filling evenly. Starting with one of the longer sides, roll the dough up tightly like a swiss roll. Lightly flour a knife, then cut the roll into 12 rounds; arrange in the baking tin, cut-side up. Cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to rise again for 30 minutes.

    4 Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4. When ready to bake, whisk the egg white and brush over the tops of the buns. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and risen.

    5 Leave to cool, then make the icing. Mix the golden icing sugar with a little water (and a splash of ginger syrup, if liked), then drizzle over the buns before serving.

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    This recipe first appeared in Waitrose Kitchen magazine. myWaitrose members can download the Waitrose Kitchen app edition for FREE. Find out more.

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