Elderberry Chelsea Buns

This Chelsea Bun recipe is from The Edmonds Cookbook, 1986 edition. The addition of 2 cups of fresh elderberries which were cooked lightly in their own juices makes for a tarter and fruitier bun and the juices can be used to colour and flavour the icing.

Elderberry Chelsea Buns

Ingredients: Scone Dough

  • 3 cups flour

  • 3 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 50g butter

  • 1-1/2 cups milk

Ingredients: Chelsea Bun Filling

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 4 tablespoons sugar

  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon

  • 4 teaspoons flour

Ingredients: Elderberries

  • 2 cups of fresh elderberries

Ingredients: Elderberry Icing

  • 2 cups icing sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

  • 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

  • Elderberry juice from the cooked elderberries (enough to colour and mix the icing or use hot water to top up)

Method: Scone Dough

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C and line a baking sheet with parchment.

  2. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl.

  3. Add the salt and chop the butter into small pieces and add to the bowl

  4. Using the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.

  5. Add enough milk to make a dough that is not sticky or too dry.

  6. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface.

  7. Spread the chelsea bun filling and cooled cooked elderberries over the dough.

  8. Roll into a long sausage and cut into pieces.

  9. Place on to baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden in colour.

  10. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool.

Method: Chelsea Bun Filling

  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan then add the remaining ingredients and remove from the heat.

  2. Stir well and spread on to the scone dough mixture.

Method: Elderberry Filling

  1. Rinse the berries and add them to a saucepan over a low heat.

  2. Bring them to a low simmer and remove from the heat, allowing them to cool before using.

  3. Spoon over the dough, on top of the Chelsea Bun Filling, reserving the juices for the icing.

Method: Elderberry Icing

  1. In a small bowl mix the room temperature butter with the icing sugar, vanilla and a little of the elderberry juice to make a smooth icing.

  2. Spread over the cooled buns.

Elderberry Chelsea Buns ready to bake
Elderberry Chelsea Buns baked, ready to ice
Elderberry Chelsea Buns ready to eat