Chelsea Christmas Buns Recipes

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S CHELSEA BUN CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Place the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other side.
• Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Pour into the flour mixture, add the eggs and stir thoroughly until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough. The dough will be sticky.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Alternatively this can be done in a stand mixer using a dough hook.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl and leave to rise, covered with a damp tea towel, for one hour or until doubled in size.
• Mix the mincemeat with the diced apple, pear, orange zest, candied peel, pistachio nuts and cinnamon.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 50cm x 45cm.
• Tack down the long side of the dough rectangle nearest to you by pressing it down onto the work surface with your thumb.
• Brush all over with the melted butter. Then spread the mincemeat mixture over the dough, leaving a 2cm border.
• Roll the opposite long side of the dough towards you quite tightly, until the roll is complete and tight. Trim the ends to neaten. With a sharp knife, cut it into 15 thick rounds of about 4cm.
• Line a very large baking tray, or the grill tray from your oven, with baking parchment.
• Arrange the rolls on the prepared tray (cut side up) in a Christmas tree shape: 1 on top, 2 underneath, 3 in the third row, 4 in the fourth row, 5 in the fifth row, and use some of the trimmings to make a trunk. You want the rolls to be close enough so that when they rise further and are baked, they will bake with their sides touching. They can then be pulled apart and you get a lovely soft edge.
• Cover loosely and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5. When the buns are ready, put them in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Check after 15 minutes or so and cover the buns with foil if they are getting too brown.
• Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool slightly before transferring them from the tin to a cooling rack.
• Melt the jam in a small saucepan with a splash of water until smooth. Brush the jam over the buns to glaze and allow to cool.
• Mix together the icing sugar, orange zest and 2 tablespoons of water. Place in a piping bag and pipe on the tree for garlands. Garnish with glace cherries, candied peel and chopped pistachio nibs.

CHELSEA CHRISTMAS BUNS

Steps:

• Do-ahead steps: Defrost the puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator and leave in the refrigerator until ready to roll out. If you leave it on the counter while you assemble everything they get too soft and will be difficult to work with. Preheat oven to 400°.
• With a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together and place one rounded tablespoon of mixture in to each muffin cup. Sprinkle ½ cup of the chopped pecans evenly over the sugar butter mix: 7 TBS of butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar and ½ t vanilla extract
• With a fork combine remaining brown sugar and the spices. Divide mixture in half: one half for one puff pastry sheet, and one for the second: 2/3 c brown sugar, 3 t cinnamon, ½ t nutmeg, ¼ t salt.
• Tear off a sheet of plastic wrap larger than the puff pastry sheet and place on a wooden board. Lightly flour the area and unfold one sheet of the defrosted puff pastry with the folds going left to right. With a pastry brush, paint the sheet with melted butter, reserving ½ for the second sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar/spice mixture over the puff pastry and then top with ½ cup of chopped pecans. Starting with the end closest to you, roll snugly, just like a jelly roll ending with seam side down. Slice in to six equal pieces. Each piece is about 1 ½ inches wide. Place each piece spiral side up in the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 Chelsea Christmas Buns.
• Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Cool for just five minutes before turning out on to a foil or parchment paper lined sheet pan.
• Optional spice ideas: cardamom, ginger, allspice.
• Optional dried fruit ideas: cranberries, cherries, raisins, golden raisins, apricots, currants, dates.

CHELSEA BUNS

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/4 cup of warm water in a small bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Sift together the flour and salt. Cut in 3/4 cup butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Bring the milk to a boil; remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Cool until the milk is lukewarm, no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Pour the milk and yeast mixture into the flour. Add the eggs and mix well to form a soft, sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time, if necessary. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turning to coat the dough. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Roll the dough into a square on a floured surface. Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the raisins. Roll up the dough to form a log, pinching the seam to seal.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Cut the log into slices about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place the slices in the prepared pan and let them rise for 30 minutes. Beat the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of water to form an egg wash. Brush the buns with egg wash.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the buns are golden brown and the centers are set, about 25 minutes.