Living in exile means not only missing the foods you grew up with, but also falling in love with the foods you encounter in your new home. In an ideal world, you are able to combine the flavours and textures in some sort of fusion – which is what I have tried to do with these chelsea buns, which are, in fact, just tiny nut swirls, or Nußzöpfe.
Those who visit my blog regularly know that I am partial to sweet breads, especially yeasty ones such as the Gugelhupf or the Hefezopf, a crown-shaped braid. Thus chelsea buns have been a particular favourite of mine since moving to England, and I have been making Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall‘s apple-filled ones for years. So when I suddenly developed this longing for nut-filled yeast breads, I came up with these. I hope you like them as much as we did!
Chelsea Buns with Nuts (makes ca. 20-24)
For the dough:
- 500g plain flour
- 50g caster sugar
- 250 ml / 1/2 pt milk, lukewarm
- 80g butter, melted
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 250 hazelnuts, coarsely ground or finely chopped
- 200g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2cl rum
- 50g butter, melted
For the glaze:
- 100g apricot jam
In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the dough until the dough is beginning to come up in bubbles:
Cover with a lid or clingfilm and rest in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This usually takes between 1-2 hours.
Heat the oven to 200C and grease a cake tin (I used a 26cm diameter springform) or a similar-sized ovenproof form.
Grind or chop the hazelnuts: you’d like to end up with a mix of fine powder and bigger lumps. Mix with the other ingredients for the filling, apart from the butter.
Roll out the dough on a work surface that you have dusted liberally with flour. I rolled it out as thinly as I could withour breaking into sweat. Brush the surface with the melted butter and sprinkle the filling evenly all over it before rolling it up.
Cut the roll into ca. 20-24 slices and place the slices in your tin.
Bake at 200C for around 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Place the hot tin on a cooling rack. In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam until it begins to bubble and it becomes quite runny; add 2-4 tbs water to make it a runny mixture that you can drizzle over the hot buns.
Leave to cool a little before removing from the tin; serve still warm, though, and enjoy the crunch!
Ginger&Bread 
My My !!!! super gorgeous.
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Thank you!!
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Ginger this looks amazing! I would love one of these with a cup of tea or coffee!
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They are delicious. I like the way they stay moist because of the way they’re all sticking together 🙂
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these look gorgeous! I like the idea of using hazelnut in a bun.
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Stunning – you make the best breads!
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Perfect marriage of two cultures. That dough is incredible and the photos just so well done. I can imagine the aroma wafting through as these baked…..
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Thank you! I love that smell 🙂
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I am also partial to sweet rolls, love the nuts. They look wonderful.
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Awesome. Just damn awesome. I’m going to make this today! Cheers 🙂
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Let me know how it goes!
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I am making this again today. I’ve been craving it hardcore!
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Seriously! That’s great – glad I made you happy 🙂
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Ginge, I was up at 1am with the mad craving and it hasn’t abated so I am on that shit!
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Ginger!! Are you trying to challenge me again? I have a similar recipe haha oh wait and see. These look absolutely fantastic 🙂 oh yay! Yummy!
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It must be like Christmas living in your house!!
Every day is a day for years and every treat is made with such love!
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I love your spirit of fusion Ginger! Nice combination of flavors with hazelnuts, rum, cinnamon, and apricot jam. Recipes like this make it hard getting used to eating vegan only!
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I have no idea how you do it! I could not survive on a vegetarian diet, never mind vegan …
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Ginger, your Chelsea Buns look so tempting and the flavors sound amazing 🙂
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They look great! Can’t go wrong with nuts and bread!
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These look lovely.
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SUPER gorgeous- and beautiful photos!! Absolutely mouthwatering! 🙂
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Thanks you! Sometimes the easiest things are the best 🙂
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They look truly spectacular. I want to make them by the end of the week! Thanks for the recipe!
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What’s the size of the tin?
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This is so exciting – I love it when someone else gives it a try! I used a 26cm/10 inch springform, but have also used a square sandwich tin in the past (25-30cm / 10-12 inch). I’m undecided which end result looks prettier 😉
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