Chelsea Buns
The old Chelsea Bun House was a shop in Chelsea which sold buns in the 18th century. It was famous for its Chelsea bun.
Yield: 16 buns
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 3/4 cup red and green maraschino cherries
- 1 cup seedless raisins
- 1/2 cup pecan halves or chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Scald the milk. Pour it into a large bowl and the 1/3 cup of sugar, salt, shortening and the first 1/2 cup water. Stir until the shortening melts. Cool to lukewarm.
- Meanwhile, dissolve the 1 teaspoon sugar in the lukewarm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let sit for 10 minutes, then stir briskly and add to the milk mixture. Beat in 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Then gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball.
- Grease a bowl and place the dough in it, rolling the ball to grease the entire surface. Cover with a greased wax paper and a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
- Punch down the dough, knead two or three times and let rest for 10 minutes on a board.
- Meanwhile, prepare a syrup for the buns. Put the first 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons hot water in a pan. Stir over medium heat until the butter melts, then boil for 2 minutes. Immediately pour into two greased 10 inch round pans.
- Drain the cherries thoroughly and cut them into halves. Divide the cherries, raisins and pecans between the two pans, sprinkling them evenly over the bottoms.
- Roll the dough into a 14 x 9 inch rectangle. Spread with the soft butter. Sprinkle with the last 3/4 cup brown sugar and the cinnamon. Roll up from the long side into a tight roll. Cut into 16 even pieces and place the pieces, cut side down, in the prepared pans. Grease the tops, cover with greased wax paper and a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until double in bulk.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the buns for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Place strips of wax paper under a rack. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, turn the pans upside down on rack. Allow the syrup to run over the buns and remove the pans.