Sweet Buns with Dried Fruit
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Makes 12 buns
The British call this type of sweet roll a Chelsea bun. The spiced swirl may remind you of cinnamon or caramel rolls. What I like about this bun is that it packs all the goodness of butter and spice in an enriched bun but skips the extra sweet topping—the roll is the star here. Dried cherries and apricots replace traditional raisins, making them extra special.
Ingredients: 2 packages of active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons each)1 cup milk1 egg1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened1/3 cup sugar, divided2 cups whole wheat flour2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling:2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1/4 cup brown sugar1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 cup of dried cherries (You can leave them whole.) 1/2 cup of dried apricots, diced
Topping:1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon waterSwedish pearl sugar to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat milk on the stove to 100 degrees Fahrenheit—it should feel lukewarm not hot.2. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast to the bowl of a mixer. Mix in lukewarm milk. Let bloom for 5 minutes. 3. Add butter, egg, remaining sugar, and flours. 4. With a dough hook, mix on low until combined. 5. Add in salt. 6. Kneed on medium for 10 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. 7. Grease bowl with the butter wrapper and add the dough to the bowl, turning the dough to coat with butter. Cover with a tea towel.8. Let rise for 90 minutes or until doubled. 9. Meanwhile, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.10. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl. 11. Prepare dried apricots by cutting into pieces about the same size as the cherries. 12. Roll dough to an approximate 15x10-inch rectangle. 13. Spread the dough with the softened butter. 14. Sprinkle the buttered dough with the sugar and spice mix.15. Sprinkle on the dried fruit. 16. Beginning at the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough into a tight log. 17. Cut the log into 12 even slices. 18. Place the sliced rolls into the greased baking dish. Tuck in as much fruit as possible to prevent burning. 19. Cover with the tea towel. Let rise for 30 minutes. 20. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 21. Once the buns have doubled in size, brush with an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water). Sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar. 22. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden on top and cooked through.
Ingredients: 2 packages of active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons each)1 cup milk1 egg1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened1/3 cup sugar, divided2 cups whole wheat flour2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling:2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1/4 cup brown sugar1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 cup of dried cherries (You can leave them whole.) 1/2 cup of dried apricots, diced
Topping:1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon waterSwedish pearl sugar to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat milk on the stove to 100 degrees Fahrenheit—it should feel lukewarm not hot.2. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast to the bowl of a mixer. Mix in lukewarm milk. Let bloom for 5 minutes. 3. Add butter, egg, remaining sugar, and flours. 4. With a dough hook, mix on low until combined. 5. Add in salt. 6. Kneed on medium for 10 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. 7. Grease bowl with the butter wrapper and add the dough to the bowl, turning the dough to coat with butter. Cover with a tea towel.8. Let rise for 90 minutes or until doubled. 9. Meanwhile, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.10. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl. 11. Prepare dried apricots by cutting into pieces about the same size as the cherries. 12. Roll dough to an approximate 15x10-inch rectangle. 13. Spread the dough with the softened butter. 14. Sprinkle the buttered dough with the sugar and spice mix.15. Sprinkle on the dried fruit. 16. Beginning at the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough into a tight log. 17. Cut the log into 12 even slices. 18. Place the sliced rolls into the greased baking dish. Tuck in as much fruit as possible to prevent burning. 19. Cover with the tea towel. Let rise for 30 minutes. 20. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 21. Once the buns have doubled in size, brush with an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water). Sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar. 22. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden on top and cooked through.