Dear Readers,
I usually feature a recipe from one of my cookbooks each week, and this time I’m sharing one I baked with my daughter during Christmas break.
Every so often, she’ll pull a cookbook off my shelf and flip through the pictures. This time it was The British Baking Book by Regula Ysewijn.
I’ve talked about this book before because I really do love it. The photos are beautiful, and it covers British baking in a way that feels both thorough and approachable. If you’re interested in that tradition at all, it’s a wonderful book to have.
My daughter stopped on the page with the Chelsea buns and immediately asked if we could make them. Those spirals of dried currants are hard to resist, and of course I said yes. It was Christmas break, after all.
Chelsea buns take their name from the Chelsea Bun House, a small shop in 18th-century London that became famous for its rich, currant-filled buns. The bakery was so popular that it drew crowds, inspired literary mentions, and even counted Kings George II and George III among its customers. Chelsea buns are still enjoyed today, just as they were in the 18th century.
They’re made with a sweet, yeasted dough that’s rolled very thin. A butter, sugar, and spice mixture is spread over the dough, which is then rolled again and topped with a final layer of filling, this time scattered with dried currants. Rolled into a spiral, the buns are cut and placed close together in the pan, giving them their classic square shape.
You might want to cut this recipe in half, as it makes 24 buns. But if you’re feeding a hungry crowd like I am, the extras freeze well and make an easy breakfast another morning.
One other suggestion: bake these in a pan with high sides. I used my baking sheet and butter leaked over the edges and caused smoke during baking. I’m here to make the mistakes first so you don’t have to!
This recipe calls for mixed spice. This is a UK spice blend used in many baked goods. You can create the mix at home by combining 1 tbsp ground allspice, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 2 tsp ground mace, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1 tsp ground ginger. Store it in a closed jar and use it for other British baked goods, such as hot cross buns and apple dappy!
Printable on Desktop
Printable on Desktop
And don’t forget about my ebook coming out this week—look for an email about it this Friday!
Until next time, happy baking!
Kristin