My friend Angela has found these quick and easy Chelsea butter buns to be a family favourite, and a good recipe for young cooks.
Ingredients
130 g unsalted butter, softened
450 g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
60 g sultanas
60 g currants
60 g glacé apricots
60 g mixed peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
½ teaspoon ground allspice
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon castor sugar
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and butter a 24 cm round tin with 20 g of the butter. Combine flour, salt and 50 g of the butter in a food processor until it resembles fine crumbs. Add milk, then gather dough into a ball, knead once or twice and roll out to a 5 mm thick rectangle (approximately 28 cm x 26 cm).
Combine fruit, peel and spices and toss to mix. Cream remaining butter and brown sugar in food processor and spread over dough. Sprinkle with fruit mixture. Roll up from long side and cut into 14 slices. Pack slices, cut-side down, into tin and bake for 25–30 minutes.
Put water, castor sugar and gelatine into a small bowl and stir over simmering water until gelatine and sugar have dissolved. Brush buns with glaze while still hot. Allow to cool, then separate buns. Split and butter, or eat as they are.
