Chelsea Buns

Chelsea buns are a type of currant bun made with a rich yeast dough. The dough is rolled out into a rectangle and covered with sugar and dried fruits. It's rolled up, left to rise and then baked. A sweet glaze is the finishing touch. You can find them in all British bakeries, but the ones you make at home are the best - you know exactly what goes into them and you can eat them as soon as they are baked.


Roll the dough out and cover with the dried fruit mixture


Leave to rise until double the size



Chelsea Buns
Adapted from The Cookery Year

1 sachet (7g) quick rising yeast
600g strong white bread flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
25g unsalted butter
1 egg mixed with approx 300ml milk

100g dried fruit (sultanas, currants or seedless raisins)
25g chopped mixed peel
50g soft brown sugar
25g melted butter
Clear honey to coat tops of buns

Put the yeast, strong bread flour, sugar, salt, unsalted butter and the egg/milk mixture into your bread machine in the correct order. Use the dough setting and keep an eye on the mixture, you may need a little more or less milk to make a smooth, soft dough.

When the dough is ready, roll it out onto a floured surface in a rectangle shape approx 35cm x 25cm.

Mix the dried fruit, mixed peel and the soft brown sugar together in a small bowl. Brush the surface of the dough with the melted butter and spread the fruit mixture on top to within 2cm of the longer edges. Roll the dough from the long edge and press to seal the edges. Cut into slices about 3½cm wide and put them in a large baking tin. Leave to rise until doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 180ºC and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Turn the buns out onto a wire wrack and brush with honey while still warm.

Printable Recipe



I'm submitting this to YeastSpotting, which is a weekly showcase of yeasted baked goods and dishes with bread as a main ingredient. If you love baking with yeast, check out the beautiful breads and other yeast recipes here.


♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

This content belongs to Nicisme at Cherrapeno. All writing and photography copyright N Fowers © 2007-2010 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.
.

Salad and Canapes - with Kinvara Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon and chick pea salad

I was recently the happy recipient of a large hamper of Kinvara Smoked Salmon. It came beautifully packed, in its own cool bag, complete with ice packs to keep it fresh. The pack included 300g of organic smoked salmon, 100g of roast smoked organic salmon, 100g of organic gravad lax, 100g of organic smoked salmon and a jar of luxurious smoked salmon paté.

There are so many uses for good smoked salmon, I made a salad and some little canapes for a party. I also made something with the gravad lax that I will share in another post. The salmon was truly delicious with a subtle flavour, and the hot smoked salmon flaked easily.

Kinvara salmon is organic

Kinvara is a family business, based in Kinvara, Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland. The salmon is organic and reared in the wild, clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean, 6 kilometres off the coast of Co Mayo. The high water movements generate strong water currents against which the salmon are compelled to swim. Such strong exercise results in fish with a firm flesh and a lower than average fat content.
The fresh salmon is filleted and covered in a layer of salt for up to six hours, depending on the size of the fish. This is where the curing process takes place. The salt draws out the moisture, prevents the growth of bacteria and is an integral part of the taste. All excess salt is washed off prior to smoking.
The fillets are then placed in the kiln where they are dried for several hours – they are then ready for smoking. The smoke is produced from a mixture of Oak and Beechwood. This smoke mixture is fanned over the salmon fillets for seven hours. This is what gives Kinvara Organic Smoked Salmon its distinctive flavour.
Finally, the salmon is trimmed, sliced and vacuum packed to seal in moisture and goodness. The process of salting, drying and cold smoking is a centuries old technique. Kinvara Smoked Salmon combines this ancient craft with modern technology to produce a smoked salmon that is second to none.

If you would like to try some Kinvara Smoked Salmon, you can buy it directly from their newly launched website. You can also follow them on Twitter or find them on Facebook.

Kinvara hot smoked organic salmon

Salmon Toasts

100g hot smoked salmon, flaked
3-4 fresh chives, snipped finely
½ fresh red chilli finely chopped (optional)
1-2 tablespoons crème fraiche
Large squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Little toasts or slices of French bread (see note)

Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, it should not be runny - you want a soft dropping consistency.

Spread on little toasts, crispbread or spoon into tiny filo pastry cups.

Note: if you want to make your own toasts; make some French bread or panini bread rolls, slice them thinly and toast or bake them in a low oven until crisp. They stay crisp for a few days in an airtight container when you bake them.

Toasted, baked sliced paninis

Smoked Salmon & Chick Pea Salad
A delicious salmon salad that's easy to put together. Makes a great healthy lunch.

100g smoked salmon, diced
1 x 400g tin of chick peas, drained and rinsed
3 spring onions finely chopped
10 cherry tomatoes halved and quartered
1 fresh red chilli pepper finely chopped (optional)
crushed garlic (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Serve straight away in small glasses for a starter, or in a large serving dish.

Ingredients for my smoked salmon and chick pea salad

Thank you Declan Droney of Kinvara Smoked Salmon for the hamper, and to Niall Fagan at Simply Zesty.


♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

This content belongs to Nicisme at Cherrapeno. All writing and photography copyright N Fowers © 2007-2010 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.
.

Fresh Cherry Pie

No, I haven't had a fight with a paint pot, just pitting a cherry!



It's fresh cherry season and there's nothing better than picking or buying them straight from the farm. Try making a fresh cherry pie, very easy once you've pitted the cherries! If you are using an old fashioned stoner like mine, make sure you wear an apron and some plastic gloves, or you will look like you've been taking part in a fight by the time you've finished!


Pile the cherries onto the pastry


Serve piping hot or leave to cool

Cherry Pie
Recipe adapted from Recipe Zaar

4 cups of cherries, pitted
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Shortcrust pastry - enough for a 9 inch pie
1 egg for glazing
1 teaspoon demerara sugar to sprinkle on the top

Once you have pitted the cherries, mix in the sugar, flour and cinnamon.

Roll out half the pastry to fit the bottom of a deep, 9" tart pan, I like to line the bottom with some non-stick baking parchment.

Spoon in the cherry mixture and roll out the rest of the pastry to cover the pie. Brush the edges with a little beaten egg to make sure the edges of the pastry stick together. Brush some more egg over the top of the pie, sprinkle with some coarse demerara sugar and cut a couple of vents in the top with a knife.

Bake in a medium hot oven, 180º for about an hour, until the pastry is nicely brown and cooked underneath.

Serve hot or cold, with cream or ice cream.

Printable Recipe





♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦


Another cherry recipe you may like: Black Forest Trifles

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

This content belongs to Nicisme at Cherrapeno. All writing and photography copyright N Fowers © 2007-2010 unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.
.