Paul Hollywoods Chelsea Buns Recipes

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S CHELSEA BUNS

Steps:

• Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted, then let sit until it's lukewarm.
• In the large bowl of a stand mixer, stir the flour and salt together, then add the yeast. Pour the lukewarm melted butter/milk mixture into the flour mixture, and start to combine. Add the egg and stir thoroughly until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough.
• Tip the dough onto a VERY lightly-floured work surface and knead well for five minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a lightly-oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (or a damp tea towel), then leave to rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has finished rising, punch it down and tip it out onto a lightly-floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle about 12 inches by 8 inches (or 30x20 cm). I'd even go a little longer if you can. Brush all over with melted butter, leaving half an inch on all sides of the dough.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the dried cranberries, golden raisins, chopped apricots, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, bourbon, and vanilla.
• Spread the fruit mixture over the dough, leaving the same border.
• Tack down the long side of the dough rectangle nearest to you by pressing it down onto the work surface with your thumb. Starting on the opposite long side of the dough, gently roll it towards you, keeping the roll tight (you'll have to be careful with it as you start the roll).
• With a sharp knife or cutter tool, cut the log into thick rounds (about 1.5 inches or about 4cm, or even a little more). Grease a deep roasting tin or 9x13 pan thoroughly with butter and place the rounds in the pan, cut-side up. Leave about half an inch of space between each, as they'll expand on their second rise and touch.
• Leave to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place. Preheat oven to 375 F regular or 355 F convection (190/170 C).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown. Start checking after 15 minutes and cover with foil if the buns are getting too brown.
• Once done, remove the buns from the oven and let them cool slightly before transferring them from the tin to a cooling rack.
• Melt the jam in a small saucepan (or bowl in the microwave) with a splash of water until smooth. Brush the jam over the buns to glaze and allow to cool.
• Mix together the icing sugar, orange zest and some of the juice. Stir together and add more juice until the thickness is correct. Drizzle the icing over the cooled buns and allow to set before serving.

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S CHELSEA BUN CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Place the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other side.
• Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Pour into the flour mixture, add the eggs and stir thoroughly until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough. The dough will be sticky.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Alternatively this can be done in a stand mixer using a dough hook.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl and leave to rise, covered with a damp tea towel, for one hour or until doubled in size.
• Mix the mincemeat with the diced apple, pear, orange zest, candied peel, pistachio nuts and cinnamon.
• Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 50cm x 45cm.
• Tack down the long side of the dough rectangle nearest to you by pressing it down onto the work surface with your thumb.
• Brush all over with the melted butter. Then spread the mincemeat mixture over the dough, leaving a 2cm border.
• Roll the opposite long side of the dough towards you quite tightly, until the roll is complete and tight. Trim the ends to neaten. With a sharp knife, cut it into 15 thick rounds of about 4cm.
• Line a very large baking tray, or the grill tray from your oven, with baking parchment.
• Arrange the rolls on the prepared tray (cut side up) in a Christmas tree shape: 1 on top, 2 underneath, 3 in the third row, 4 in the fourth row, 5 in the fifth row, and use some of the trimmings to make a trunk. You want the rolls to be close enough so that when they rise further and are baked, they will bake with their sides touching. They can then be pulled apart and you get a lovely soft edge.
• Cover loosely and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5. When the buns are ready, put them in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Check after 15 minutes or so and cover the buns with foil if they are getting too brown.
• Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool slightly before transferring them from the tin to a cooling rack.
• Melt the jam in a small saucepan with a splash of water until smooth. Brush the jam over the buns to glaze and allow to cool.
• Mix together the icing sugar, orange zest and 2 tablespoons of water. Place in a piping bag and pipe on the tree for garlands. Garnish with glace cherries, candied peel and chopped pistachio nibs.

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S BELGIAN BUNS

Steps:

• Make the dough. Place the flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Make a well in the centre and tip in the yeast.
• Warm the butter and milk with 120ml of water in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Pour this into the flour mixture, and stir thoroughly until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough.
• Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and leave it to rise, for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Make the curd. Put the lemon juice and zest, sugar and butter into a heatproof bowl. Sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir the mixture every now and again until all the butter has melted.
• Lightly whisk the egg and egg yolk together in a bowl and then stir them into the lemon mixture. Whisk until all the ingredients are well combined, then leave the mixture to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every now and again, until the mixture is creamy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the lemon curd from the heat and leave it to cool, then chill it until set.
• Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle measuring about 30 x 40cm with a short end closest you. Tack down this end by pressing it down onto the work surface with your thumb.
• Spread the lemon curd over the dough and sprinkle it with the sultanas. Starting at the short end furthest away from you, roll the rough towards you quite tightly until the roll is complete. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough roll into 12 thick rounds.
• Arrange the bun on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Place each baking sheet into a proving bag and leave the buns to rise for 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6. Brush the buns with a little egg wash. Bake the buns for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4 and cook them for a further 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven, leave them to cool slightly then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the decoration. Mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest and about 2 tablespoons of water to make a stiff, but pourable icing. Dip the buns in the icing, then allow any excess to drip off. Top with half a glacé cherry and leave to set before serving.