Another bun from an English town. (Chelsea Bun)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Chelsea Bun
Date:	08/10/07 (432 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: spicy and fruity.

Disadvantages: calories

Yes the Chelsea bun does originate from Chelsea although it can be bough nation wide now .It is thought that the Chelsea bun was first made in the Chelsea bun house on or near Grovesnor Row or Jew’s Row. This bun shop was making Chelsea buns from the mid 17th early the shop closed in 1839 when it closed. This shop was visited by many including royalty, king Georges 11 and 111 on route to the nearby Ranelagh Pleasure Gardens.

Availability
Now I must admit to liking a Chelsea bun. I either buy mine from Tesco’s or the local bakers and I have even made my own. Chelsea buns seem to be available at all bakers and supermarkets.
The price for a pack of 4 Chelsea bun s at tesco is 1.09p at Sainsbury’s 1.5p from my local bakers it costs 75p there. The baker’s bun is a bit bigger and fatter than tesco packed buns but not sure if they are really 50p each better. The Tesco Chelsea buns I bought yesterday were very good moist fresh and quite spicy. The bun I bought from my bakers last weekend was certainly not a lot better if any it was a bit drier as it was out on the bakers counter not prewrapped like the tesco ones . maybe it depends on how long ago they weer baked as to how nice they are .

It is very possible that all of you know what a Chelsea bun is like, but to remind you I have written the following.

Looks.
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A Chelsea bun is a circular bun ,actually its often a bit square due to the fact it is baked in a tray squashed up against others. It is glazed with a honey glaze sometimes with sugar sprinkled on top .This bun is round made with a dough coiled into a spiral ,dried fruit can be seen peeping from the seams of the dough spiral. These buns are usually quite moist.

Eating
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The way I and lots of other people like to eat these buns into slowly nibble them and uncoiling the bun as I eat exposing the dried fruit on the coils , be careful you do not lose the dried fruit sometimes it is not embedded /stuck on to the coils and falls onto your lap/ the floor.

Taste.
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These taste great the bun is enriched bread dough a yeast bun. They are sweet and buttery with a hint of spice

Making a Chelsea bun/recipe
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It is possible to make the dough in the bread maker then construct your bun, or make the dough using your hand; you get the satisfaction of kneading the dough this way.

Recipe
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250g plain or strong white (bread flour)
½ teaspoon salt
125ml milk
1 sachet quick yeast
40g margarine/butter
100g dried fruit
1tspoon mixed spice or cinnamon (I prefer cinnamon)
25g brown sugar

Method
Mix the flour and salt and rub in 15g of margarine/ butter.
Add the yeast and warm milk to the flour mixture.
Mix till its soft dough and knead the dough for a few minutes.
Roll the dough out to nearly a square.
Melt 25g of butter and then brush it over the surface of the dough.
Sprinkle the dried fruit, sugar and spice evenly over the dough.
Now roll up the dough like a Swiss roll and slice it into about 8 or 9 circles.
Put these circles flat on a baking tray and leave to raise for a while buns should be about twice the size.


Bake in over at 200C gas mark 6 for about 20 minutes. When baked you can sprinkle some sugar over the top, But I do not think this necessary

There are many recipes for Chelsea buns on line, and in cookery books some slightly different to mine. Now I have written this I shall have to go and make some, Oh by the way in case you had not guessed these are very fattening 

There are many fruity spicy buns available all slightly different Chelsea buns are very much like pain aux raisins, there are bath buns tea cakes sally luns all with a similer flavour each one slightly different , we all have our preferences and the chelsea bun is one I will sometimes choose .

Summary: A yeast bun with dried fruit and spice.