Source:The Bread Book by Linda Collister & Anthony Blake
Makes 9 servings.
Preparation time: 3 hours
Tips: Great breakfast treats.
Chelsea Buns
Sticky buns with raisins and citrus peel
Ingredients
Preparation
4 cups unbleached white bread flour (455 g)
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (40 g)
2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast ( 1 pkg or 1 cake fresh)
3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
1 extra large egg, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (60 g), melted
extra flour for dusting
FILLING:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (40 g), melted
1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (70 g)
1 cup (140 g) mixed dried fruit: raisins, currants, candied citrus peel
STICKY GLAZE:
7 tablespoons packed light brown sugar ( 85 g)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (60 g)
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
Prepare a 8 to 9-inch square cake pan about 1 1/2 inches deep, greased.
DOUGH:
1. Mix together the flour, salt and half the sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Crumble the fresh yeast into a small bowl. Stir in the remaining sugar and the lukewarm milk until smooth. If using dry yeast, mix the granules and the sugar with the lukewarm milk and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Pour the yeast mixture into the well in the flour and mix enough flour from the bowl into the liquid with your hand or a wooden spoon to make a thick batter. Let stand until spongy, about 10 minutes.
3. Beat the egg and melted butter into the spongy mixture with your hand or a small whisk.Gradually work in the flour from the bowl to make a soft, but not sticky dough. If the dough is dry, add water or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until very smooth and elastic and satiny.
5. Wash, dry and oil the bowl. Return the dough to the bowl, and turn the dough over so the top is oiled. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise at room temperature, away from drafts, until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Punch the dough. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface ad roll out with a floured rolling pin into a 16x9-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you.
7. For the filling: brush the dough with the melted butter. Then sprinkle with the sugar, followed by the mixed dried fruit and the candied citrus peel, leaving a 1/2-inc border all around the edge. Starting from the long side, roll up the dough fairly tightly, like a jelly roll 16 inches long. Cut the roll into 9 even pieces and arrange them, cut side down, in the prepared pan, touching but not squashed together. Cover the pan with a damp towel and let rise at room temperature, away from drafts, until almost double in size, 30 to 40 minutes.
8. During the last 15 minutes of rising, heat the oven to 400 F degrees, removing oven stone if any.
9. To make the Sticky Glaze: combine the brown sugar, butter, milk and honey in a small saucepan and heat over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 minute. Pour the glaze over the risen buns.
10. Bake the buns for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
11. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, or until the topping is firm, but not set.Then transfer the buns to a wire rack set over a sheet of foil and let cool. If the topping is left too long and welds onto the pan, put the pan back in the oven until the topping softens again. Pull or tear the buns apart when they have cooled.
NOTES : 1) Eat within 2 days of baking.
