If I read the phrase ‘New Year, New You’ one more time I might just scream. What is wrong with the old/current me? I mean obviously there’s room for improvement in all of us, that’s what makes us human. I do not however feel the need to suddenly ban sugar, fat and carbs from my diet and start substituting rice for cauliflower and using avocados in my brownies.
So I bring you Tangzhong Mincemeat Chelsea Buns, because I expect that like me, you probably have a leftover jar of mincemeat lurking in the back of your cupboard, keeping a Christmas pudding company and you’re thinking what can I make with that?
This is a revamped version of my tangzhong chelsea buns and I’ve added a drizzle of water icing to sweeten them up a bit more. Any shop bought mincemeat will be fine in this recipe, you can always add a splash of alcohol or water to loosen up the mincemeat if you need to. You can also use my homemade mincemeat to make this recipe.
I’ve added two quantities of mincemeat for these tangzhong mincemeat chelsea buns, it depends how much you like mincemeat. The first amount will be a generous helping of mincemeat, but if you really enjoy it, or you want your buns to be bursting with fruit then add the larger amount.
Begin by making the tangzhong, place the milk and bread flour in a saucepan and whisk it gently until it thickens and reaches 65 degrees.
Scrape the tangzhong into a bowl and cover it with a layer of clingfilm so that a skin doesn’t form. Leave to cool to room temperature.
Put the milk, butter and vanilla into a small saucepan and cook over a low-medium heat until all the butter has melted. Set aside until just lukewarm.
To make the dough, put the flour, caster sugar, salt and yeast into the bowl of a food mixer and fit it with a dough hook.
Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then pour in the milk mixture, the tangzhong and the egg.
Mix the dough on a low speed until it starts to come together, then knead on a medium speed for about 10 minutes or until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl.
Place the dough in a large lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Leave it to rise for about 1-1½ hours or until it has doubled in size.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll into approximately a 40cm x 50cm rectangle.
Take 300g of the mincemeat and stir it to loosen a little, spread the mincemeat over the dough and spread it in an even layer. If you think you need more mincemeat then use the rest to fill in any gaps, but this can be quite rich, so use the smaller amount if you're not a mincemeat fiend.
Roll up the dough into a cylinder along the long edge, keeping the spiral tight. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 even slices.
Arrange the buns in the base of a 20cm x 30cm non-stick baking tin, with the spiral facing upwards. Cover the tin loosely with cling film, set aside and allow the buns to prove for 45-60 minutes until risen and touching each other.
While the buns are proving, heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Once proved, bake the buns for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven and allow to cool.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 2 tbsp of water and stir the icing, if needed add more water, but you want quite a thick consistency. Drizzle or pour the icing over the buns and use as much or as little as you want, you don't need to use all the icing. Tear off each bun as required and eat while still warm or at room temperature.
Start by tasting it, then add extra flavours that suit: nearly always add a little freshly grated lemon or orange zest, extra spice, extra brandy or rum and some cherries or nuts.
I like to pimp up my mincemeat with a couple of extras though – a little apple adds some extra juiciness, and some dried cranberries for a modern (& tasty!) touch.
Store-bought mincemeat can contain alcohol, and if it doesn't, here's my tip: add some. It will kick your mince pies up to the next level. Rum or brandy go especially well with the other ingredients.
The containers you use must be scrupulously clean, so I like to use jars straight out of the dishwasher or I sterilise them in the oven. What is this? If you store it in a cool dark place the mincemeat will last for up to 1 year unopened. Once open store in the refrigerator and use within 3=4 months.
Alcohol is usually minimal and black rum or brandy are probably best; fruit-based spirits, especially apricot brandy are recommended. Apricot jam or a chunky Seville orange marmalade are also excellent improvers. The simplest way to use mincemeat more often is to combine it with fruit.
Consider the fat content of mince before you buy. Beef mince, and sometimes lamb, is graded by its fat content, and remember that some fat is desirable as it adds flavour and helps to keep the meat moist during cooking. The standard fat content of mince is 20%, but you can opt for a lean or extra-lean version.
Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.
By the 18th century it was more likely to be tongue or even tripe, and in the 19th century it was minced beef. It was not until the late Victorian period and early 20th Century that mince pies dropped the meat and had all fruit fillings (albeit with suet). Even today there are traditions associated with mince pies.
Stirring the mincemeat was quite an event, and English tradition dictates that it should only be stirred clockwise. Stirring the mincemeat anti-clockwise would lead to bad luck and poor fortune in the coming 12 months.
When myoglobin comes in contact with oxygen, it forms oxymyoglobin, which has the bright, red colour of beef. After several hours or days of exposure, the oxymoyoglobin can convert to metmyoglobin, which has a brown-grey colour.
If I find an old jar of mincemeat I boil it up to kill off any bacteria, and then might add some extra fruit and brandy. If it tastes okay then, I will use it! I would open one, look at it, sniff it, taste a bit. If it tasted and smelled ok, and not mouldy or obviously too old, I would use it.
Top the mincemeat with the pastry lids, push around the edges to seal, then poke 1-2 small holes into each to allow steam to escape. Wrap the whole tray well in cling film. Will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6.
Mincemeat genuinely is surprisingly quick and straightforward to make and makes a delightful homemade christmas present. Store in the fridge in tupperware or in sealed sterilised jars for a gift.
English tradition demands that the mince meat mixture should only be stirred in a clockwise direction. To stir it anticlockwise is to bring bad luck for the coming year. Another English custom is for all the family to take a turn in stirring the mincemeat mixture whilst making a wish.
In fact, mince can be cooked from frozen and its pretty much the same as cooking it from fresh! Simply pop your frozen mince into a pan and keep it moving over a low temperature as it begins to thaw and separate. Once your mince has come apart you can turn the heat up and continue to stir the mince until evenly cooked.
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