Chelsea Buns are a soft and fluffy brioche bun filled with raisins. New Zealand Chelsea Buns are a Childhood classic and are filled with custard and raisins. They are finished with a simple chelsea bun glaze.
Table of contents
Chelsea Buns
Hi hi! Just popping in to share this re-shoot of a recipe I have had on my blog for about 5 years now - Chelsea Buns! These were one of the first 'nostalgic re makes' that I did where I recreated a baked good from my childhood. They are also the recipe I developed the brioche base recipe we all know and love today!
Chelsea buns differ to cinnamon buns (according to a brief googling session) in that they have the fruit filling, and the glaze is different. Cinnamon Buns have a thicker frosting, whereas a chelsea bun has a glazed top. Keep in mind these are the UK definitions so may differ to what people are used to in the US. It's all so interesting to me how things can be similar in different countries and have a totally different name.
This Chelsea Bun recipe is a favourite of mine for a good reason. The buns are super fluffy, but with a gooey centre from the custard, and wee raisins flecked throughout. The icing is super simply but just so good - I love these so much and I hope you do too!
New Zealand Chelsea Buns
Chelsea buns are English in origin (I think!), and are filled with raisins or currants. In NZ they also add a layer of custard within the rolls. They were one of my very favourite treats growing up and we still love them so much today. The process of making these is super simple and pretty similar to that of a cinnamon bun:
- Make the brioche dough. I almost always do a cold rise on this as it makes it so much easier to roll out neatly.
- Make the custard filling. I use custard powder here for that super nostalgic custard taste. The custard comes together quickly but does need some time to cool before adding to the Chelsea buns.
- Assemble the buns. This process is super similar to cinnamon rolls - you just roll out the dough, then spread with the cooled custard filling. The custard then gets sprinkled with some brown sugar and raisins and rolled up into a log.
- Leave to rise. The buns go through a second rise at room temperature until nice and puffy and ready to bake.
- Bake and ice. Bake the buns until they are done throughout and golden brown on the top. Ice them while they are hot, then leave to cool and enjoy!
Can this recipe be made in one day?
Yes, if you like then it can. I like to do the first rise in the fridge to make the dough easier to roll out. This can either be done overnight, or you can rise it for a minimum of 3 hours in the fridge.
If you would like to do the first rise at room temperature just keep in mind that it makes the dough harder to roll out when it is warm. This will make the whole rolling up process a lot more sloppy. Rise the dough at room temperature for about an hour or until doubled in size, then roll up and assemble. However if you can, try and leave time for the cold rise. You need to leave time for the pastry cream to chill regardless.
How to tell when Buns are Baked
Sometimes it is a little hard to tell with buns etc when they are cooked, because the filling can cause the tops to go golden before they are done. I like to check the internal temperature using a thermometer - it should be around 200°f / 95°c for enriched dough. Make sure you are sticking the thermometer into the dough and not the filling. This is just an additional way to check for doneness.
How to make Custard Filling
Custard (or pastry cream) isn't too hard to make but it can be a tiny bit intimidating. This Chelsea Bun Filling is thickened with both custard powder and egg yolks. It is a bit thicker than your standard pouring custard. I made it that way on purpose so that when it comes to spreading the custard on your dough, it doesn't slop everywhere.
What is Custard Powder?
Custard Powder is similar to what is used to make instant pudding in the states. It is corn starch based, then uses other flavours and thickeners. The taste is super nostalgic so I used it in these chelsea buns. You can grab some online or in some grocery stores in the US (it's super common in the supermarket in NZ) - I use it to make my Custard Square too! If you can't find you should be able to sub corn starch. I haven't tried it but it will work just fine.
Yes! If you don't like them just leave them out.
Yes, that will work fine but you just have to activate it. To do this, pop the milk, sugar and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer and leave it to activate
If you need to chill down your custard quickly, spread it into a sheet pan. This increases the surface area of the custard and it will chill down much quicker.
I used this enamel baker I got for a gift a while ago, but a regular 9"x13" pan would work perfectly too!
The custard is super thick (it's meant to be like that) so when you go to spread it out don't be concerned if it looks lumpy. If it was smooth when you made it, you're good and the lumps are just cold bits of custard. It all sorts itself out in the oven.
Mine do this too. Don't worry - it happens. It is from the moisture in the custard. When they bake it makes them almost look as if they have unwound a tiny bit. Those holes are great for catching the icing!
Custard makes assembling things a wee bit tricky.
Yes - the recipe for my no mixer brioche is here. You can double it and it will work just fine, you'll just get in a great workout!
For more New Zealand Recipes, Check Out:
Made this recipe and love it?
If you made this recipe then I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!
A note on salt and oven temperature
It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.
All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan / convection, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.
Using the double / triple function in the recipe card
You will notice that there is a '1X' '2X' '3X' button in my recipe card. This can be used for doubling or tripling a recipe. However, please note that this only doubles the ingredient quantities in the ingredients list and NOT in the method. If there are quantities or pan sizes in the method of the recipe (for example weigh out 150g brown butter), you will need to scale this number manually. It will also not change the baking time in the recipe so you will need to adjust this yourself too. It is always a good idea to read through a recipe fully before doubling it just to check this. If you would like to scale this recipe or convert for another pan size, use my calculator!
Tools and equipment
For a list of my go-to tools and equipment, I have a post you can refer to here.
Why is this recipe in grams?
I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!
Recipe for Chelsea Buns
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Chelsea Buns
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Chelsea Buns are a soft and fluffy brioche bun filled with raisins. New Zealand Chelsea Buns are a Childhood classic and are filled with custard and raisins. They are finished with a simple chelsea bun glaze.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 250g whole milk, lukewarm
- 2 tsp (7g) instant yeast
- 60g sugar
- 560g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (3g) salt
- 2 eggs (about 100g not including shell), at room temperature
- 1 tsp (5g) vanilla bean paste
- 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Custard / Pastry Cream filling
- 110g sugar
- 50g custard powder
- 125g egg yolks
- 410g whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp salt
- 20g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Filling
- 50g brown sugar (optional, see notes)
- 85g raisins
Glaze
- 315g powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- 3-4 Tbsp whole milk
Instructions
BRIOCHE DOUGH
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the milk, yeast, sugar, flour, salt, eggs, and vanilla.
- Mix on medium speed for 6-7 minutes, until the dough has come together.
- Add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is almost incorporated to add the next piece, until all of the butter has been added. Mix the dough for a further 6-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease a medium bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to stand on the counter for 20 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to rise for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. (See recipe notes for doing this all in one day)
CUSTARD FILLING
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and custard powder. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined.
- In a medium pot, warm the milk, vanilla bean paste and salt until there is movement just around the edges of the milk - do not bring it to the boil.
- Remove the milk from the heat, and, whisking constantly, add half of the milk mixture into the egg and custard mixture to temper the egg yolks. Whisk briskly for 30 seconds. Transfer the milk-yolk mixture back to the pot, and return to a medium heat. Whisk constantly until very thick.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, mixing well until totally combined.
- Transfer to an airtight container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface. Refrigerate until completely chilled, ideally overnight.
ASSEMBLY AND BAKING
- Lightly grease and line a 9" x 13" (23cmx35cm) baking dish.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 24" x 16" (60cm x 40cm) rectangle. If you find your dough is resisting being rolled out, stop and let it relax for about 5 minutes before continuing to roll.
- Stir the chilled custard. Using an offset spatula, spread the cooled custard evenly over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and raisins. Starting with the long edge, carefully roll up the dough tightly. Cut into 12 equally sized slices, and arrange in the baking dish.
- leave in a warm spot to rise until the rolls are puffy and when lightly pressed with a finger, an indentation that springs back slightly is left. This should take around 45 minutes to an hour, but will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
- While the rolls are proofing, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
- Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the bread is cooked through and the top is golden. (internal temp 200˚f) Tent with foil after 20 minutes if the buns seem to be browning too quickly. Check for doneness after 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. While they are cooling, mix the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and 3 Tbsp of the milk in a medium bowl, adding extra milk a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Spread over the buns using an offset spatula while they are still warm.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers are best eaten the day of, or the day after baking.
Notes
The brown sugar in the filling is optional - you can leave it out if you like these a little less sweet.
Keywords: chelsea buns, chelsea bun, custard bun, new zealand chelsea bun, icing, glaze
These are so soft and so so good!
★★★★★
Brioche and custard is the best combination!!
★★★★★
Made them with my 4yo, subbed chocolate chips for the raisins, and they were amazing! Really appreciate your attention to detail in the recipes, it meant they turned out perfect.
★★★★★
Great recipe, appears to be idiot proof (I'm the idiot). Simple method and an easy to handle dough. Great results with both overnight and 3 hour proves.
★★★★★