The other day I sorted out some enticing cake/biscuit/bread recipes I wanted to try out. I was pleased, as having had a half knee replacement 7 weeks ago, it showed that I was beginning to feel more like myself, and had regained some of my usual enthusiasm for life!
I tried this one yesterday - a recipe I'd cut out of a Sainsbury's magazine in 1999! My husband insists that they look just like the Chelsea buns he used to have as a child, but they are different inside, more like an enriched brioche dough. I altered the recipe a little as I was going along. This is what I did:
Sugar syrup glaze
Bring 55ml water to the boil, add 110 dark brown sugar, stir over low heat until dissolved, then boil for 1 minute and set aside.
Dough
Heat 175ml milk with 50 butter until butter is melted. Add to 450g strong white bread flour, 1 teasp salt, 50 sugar, 1x7g fast action yeast. Also add 2 beaten eggs. Mix well until in a state that you can knead it, just like making bread. Knead on floured surface for about 7 minutes. Place in oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 and 1/2 hours, until doubled in size, longer if necessary. Then knock it down and roll it out to a large rectangle 40 x 30cm.
Filling You can prepare this while dough is rising.
Mix 110g dried dates, cut up small, 50 chopped walnuts, 40 g brown sugar
1 heaped teasp cinnamon, and 35g melted butter (Recipe actually said to melt the butter and spread over first, but I decided to put it all together!) Spread filling over dough, leaving a gap round the edge, and roll it up gently, making a long sausage roll, and pushing back in any filling that comes out the ends! I cut mine into 12 equal sized pieces, and used a well buttered rectangular tin 28x23cm. Recipe said cut into 9 pieces and use a 20cm square tin. I thought that would be too small, and I think I was right. Put pieces cut side up in tin
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/RIMG0012-1.jpg)
Brush lightly with some of the syrup.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/RIMG0014.jpg)
Cover with cling film and leave to rise for 45 mins or until risen and puffy (be patient)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/RIMG0015.jpg)
Heat oven to 190C. When dough is risen, bake for 30 mins - I think I would cook them for slightly less, or at a slightly lower temp. Brush the remaining syrup over immediately.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/RIMG0019.jpg)
I cooled them in the tin, until I could cut them apart, when they were still warm, which is how they are best eaten. They can easily be warmed up again the next day in the microwave. They definitely need to be warm and soft to be enjoyed at their best!
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/RIMG0022-1.jpg)
That looks marvellous, and I have a large bag of drying out dates plus guests for the weekend, so I will try it.....
Im with ya hubby,deff got the chelsea bun look but no matter,all goes down the same hole..!!!!!!!!!!!
and they do look "Sugartastically" scrummy said the Type 2 Diabolic..... ???
Gazza