The main difference between Chlesea buns and cinnamon buns or cinnamon rolls is that in Chelsea buns dried fruit is compulsory and in cinnamon it isn’t. In cinnamon buns cinnamon powder is a must and not the same in Chelsea buns.

Chelsea Buns Ingredients

225 grams bread flour

125 ml milk

30 grams butter

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

7 gram packet dried yeast (you can use fresh yeast too, about 20 grams)

2 teaspoons caster sugar

Filling for Chelsea Buns

115 grams raisins or mixed dried fruit

60 grams soft brown sugar

60 grams softened butter (I used melted but you can use softened, it is less messy)

1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

To decorate the Chealsea buns

1.) Make simple syrup by mixing equal amounts of sugar and water and boiling until it turns to a syrup. Use to brush the top of the buns.

2.) Make glace icing and decorate the buns to make iced Chelsea buns

Method for Chelsea Buns

Put the filling ingredients in a bowl, mix, cover and put to one side

Line a 20 cm square cake tin with baking paper and put to one side

Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl, mix

Rub in the butter, make a well in the centre and add the egg and milk, mix

When the mixture is too thick to mix put the spoon to one side and knead the mixture in the bowl until smooth.

Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise until double in size

Remove the clingfilm and push down the dough.

Put some flour on a work surface and put the dough on it

Knead it a bit and roll it out with a rolling pin or stretch it with your hands.

Brush the softened butter on it, I used melted butter but softened butter is better.

Sprinkle the fruit mix on top

Roll up the Chelsea bun dough as tightly as you can

Cut into 9 pieces and arrange them in the prepared cake tin, leave a bit of space between them.

Cover and leave them to rise for about 30 mins or until risen

About 5 minutes before they are ready, pre-heat oven to 180 Celsius

Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown on top

Remove from the oven, leave in the tin for about 10 minutes before taking them out of the tin and putting them on a cooling rack to cool completeluy.

Make a simple syrup by boiling 50 grams sugar and 50 ml water into a syrup

Brush the buns on top while still warm and leave to cool