CHELSEA BUNS

250ml oats milk

20g fresh yeast

100g castor sugar

500g gluten-free or strong plain flour, plus extra to dust

1/2 tsp salt

100g vegan butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease

1 Vegan egg

Oil, to grease

1 tsp ground mixed spice

50g sultanas

50g currants

apricot glaze to finish

The aroma of these buns as they bake is so enticing. The sticky apricot glaze gives them a lovely sheen but you can drizzle glacé icing over the buns instead if prefer. You will need a 24 I’m round cake tin. I’m allergic to apricot so I choose not to glaze any of my buns.

Method

1.pour the oats milk into the saucepan and bring to scalding point over medium heat, then remove from the heat and leave to cool to tepid, about 38°C

2.in a small bowl, cream the yeast with 1 tsp of the sugar and tsp of milk.

3.put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut 75g of the butter into cubes and rub into the four with your fingertips. Stir in the n 50g sugar and make a well in the middle. Set aside the remaining butter in a warm place to soften.

4.Break the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add the beaten egg to the well in the flour mixture, along with the creamed yeast mixture and at least three quarters of the remaining milk. Using a culterery knife, bring, the dough together, adding any remaining milk if needed to make a soft dough.

5.Tranfer the dough to very lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-8 minutes until smooth.

6.Place the dough in a very lightly oiled bowl and cover with doubled in size, about 1 1/2

7.Meanwhile, mix the remaining butter and sugar to a smooth paste with the mixed spice.

8.Tranfer the risen dough to the work surface and knock it back, kneading it for 2-3 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 25cm Square. Spread the butter, sugar and spice paste over the dough as evenly as possible, and almost to the edges, then scatter over the dried fruit. Roll the dough up into a swiss roll, trim off the meds and cut into 8 slices, 3 I’m thick.

9.Generously grease the cake tin with butter. Arrange 7 buns, cut side up, around the inside edge of the prepared came tin, leaving a little space between each to follow them to expand as they prove. Place the eight bun in the middle.

10. Cover loosely with oiled cling and leave to prove for 25-30 minutes, or until almost doubled in size. Meanwhile heat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

11. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes until risen and golden. Check between the layers for greatness and bake for a little longer if there is any, on a lower shelf to avoid -browning. Remove from the oven and lift the whole crown out of the tin onto a wire rack. Brush with apricot glaze and leave to cool.

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