A Little Taste of Heaven...........Chelsea Buns

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

A few years ago I decided, as I was driving around cottage country, to try various small town bakeries in search of the perfect chelsea bun.

Chelsea Buns? As a child spending time at the cottage with my Aunt, nothing was better than a trip into town and the bakery and buying some fresh made chelsea buns. Of course we ate half of them on the way home.

These were warm, sticky, gooey, with currants and cherries, and tasted like a sweet piece of heaven. Our faces and hands were all sticky, inevitably I had the icing and crumbs all down my sweater and crumbs all over my car.top.

As a cottager chelsea buns were one of those rites of summer. A reminder of simple times with family, where good company with those you loved and great food were the two best things in life.

Okay, I am off to the bakery later and maybe some chelsea buns to go with my hot cross buns.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

A Little chelsea bun history





The Chelsea bun was first created in the eighteenth century at the Bun House in Chelsea. The bun is made of a rich yeast dough flavoured with lemon peel, cinnamon or a sweet spice mixture. Prior to being rolled into a square spiral shape the dough is spread with a mixture of currants, brown sugar and butter. A sweet glaze covering is added before the rolled-up dough is sliced into individual buns and baked.

.The Chelsea Bun House closed in 1839. At the height of its success it was frequented by high society, including Kings George II and III, who called in for a bun en route to the nearby Ranelagh Pleasure Gardens.

The Bun House was also noted for its hot-cross buns. Legend has it that on Good Friday in 1829, 240,000 hot-cross buns were sold, and crowds of over 50,000 thronged outside the shop in anticipation of delicious buns hot from the kitchen's ovens.

Chelsea buns are made from enriched bread dough, filled with dried fruit, coiled into a distinctive spiral shape, and then smothered with a sticky honey glaze. The best thing about them was unrolling them to eat them.

Jane Grigson in 'English Food'says that Chelsea buns are, "the best of all buns, on account of their melting buttery sweetness.".

Quick and Simple Recipe for Chelsea Buns from Cottage Life Magazine

Use ready made dough

Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans (250 ml)
1/2 cup raisins (125 ml)
1/2 cup chopped red and green cherries
1/4 cup currants
1 lb fresh pizza dough (500 g) OR 1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1 tbsp cinnamon (15 ml)
1/4 cup butter (60 ml)
1/2 cup brown sugar (125 ml)
1/2 175g pkg cook and serve (not instant) vanilla or butterscotch pudding mix
1 tbsp milk (15 ml)

Directions

1) Spread half the pecans and half the raisins over the bottom of a greased 8" X *" (20cm X 20cm) baking pan.

2) Cut the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape into rough balls; arrange 9 pieces over the pecans and raisin layer.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.

3) Melt butter in a small saucepan and add sugar. take off heat and add pudding mix and milk. Pour mixture over dough layer. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and raisins.

4) Arrange remaining dough on top.

5) Cover and refrigerate over night or let rise at room temperature for 3 hours.

6) Bake in preheated 350F (180C) oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove and immediately turn out onto serving plate.

Makes 9 servings (8 for me and 1 for you)
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