Warren Mendes describes these spiced scrolls as being cloud-soft with a salty sweet taste. The buns are everything you would want for a lunch box treat, or an afternoon indulgence. Topped with a salted caramel glaze and filled with spiced almonds, I could have devoured the entire batch without sharing.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Spiced Scrolls ♥
Childhood memories
In his recipe book Food Trail South Africa, Warren mentions his love of Chelsea buns. His mom bought them for him and his brothers as a treat. For me, Chelsea buns take me right back to being at school. In South Africa, we don’t have school lunches like you get in most parts of the world. Lunch was either brought from home, or purchased at the tuck shop. Being given money for that was extremely special. More often that not I would get a Chelsea bun, which I would eat by ‘unwrapping’ it, and tearing bits off. They were soft and delicious, and to me, the perfect meal! I could not resist making the spiced scrolls, not only to take me back to my childhood, but because like Warren, I love adding spices to sweet treats.
Our Christmas plans
Over the years, our plans for Christmas have changed quite a lot. But now, we have settled into a routine which is perfect for us. Today, friends of ours will be coming for lunch. We alternate each year, and when she hosts, we have a traditional Christmas meal. If it is just the 4 of us, and I am hosting, it will be far simpler. Today I will be doing a harvest table. This is my preferred way to eat where we can just sit, nibble continuously, and enjoy all the day has to bring with it. The food will centre around Italian delicacies, and I do not plan on doing anything hot. Last year the temperature got so high that the only place that was enjoyable was the pool. No matter how you celebrate today, if you celebrate, I hope it is with joy in your hearts.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Spiced Scrolls ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Spiced Scrolls
Ingredients
for the dough:
- 500 g flour, plus extra for dusting
- 190 mls milk
- 50 g fructose
- 10 mls instant dried yeast
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 100 g salted butter, softened and cubed, plus extra for greasing
- oil for greasing
for the salted caramel glaze:
- 150 mls cream
- 150 g coconut sugar
- 75 g butter, cubed
- 50 mls maple syrup
- 5 mls salt flakes
for the spiced almond filling:
- 100 g raw almonds, toasted
- 100 g coconut sugar, divided
- 100 g butter, softened
- 5 mls ground cinnamon
- 2.5 mls ground cardamom
- 2.5 mls ground nutmeg
Method
for the dough:
- Place the flour, milk, fructose, yeast and eggs into a stand mixer bowl and bring together into a dough using a dough hook
- Knead for 10 minutes then start adding the butter with the motor running, one piece at a time until all the butter has been picked up
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly grease your bowl
- Gently shape the dough into a ball and place back into the bowl, seam side down
- Cover and set aside to prove until doubled in size
for the salted caramel glaze:
- Place the cream, sugar, butter, syrup and salt flakes into a saucepan
- Over a low temperature, stir until the butter melts, then increase the temperature slightly and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves
- Continue simmering until thick, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly
- Grease a large roasting pan with butter and pour half of the glaze in, spreading it evenly over the bottom
- Set aside to cool completely
for the spiced almond filling:
- Place the almonds into a blender and 10mls of the sugar and blitz until fine
- Place the rest of the sugar with the butter, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg into a bowl and mix to combine
for the scrolls:
- When the dough has proved, tip out onto a floured surface and gently knock back
- Roll out into a 40cm x 35cm rectangle then use a palette knife to spread the butter mixture on top, leaving a 1cm border all around
- Evenly sprinkle the almonds on top of the butter and with the long edge facing you, roll the dough up as tightly as possible, in an upwards movement
- Use a serrated knife to trim the edges and to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces
- Place the dough into the roasting tin, cut side up, without the edges touching, in 4 rows of 3
- Cover with a tea towel and set aside to prove until the buns are touching one another, and nicely puffed up
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius and place the tin into the oven and bake for 30 minutes
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out
- Drizzle the tops with the rest of the glaze and eat the same day
See the links below for blog posts I published on December 25:
- 2020: Oregano Shortbread
- 2019: Celebrating 2019
- 2018: Piccolo Loft San Tommaso
- 2016: Spelt Pasta
- 2010: Christmas 2010
Today my computer will stay off while I prepare our Christmas feast. I am on leave until the 7th of January and will pop into my blog when I have time ♥.
Christmas Day is just reaching you and I have just listened to the King’s Message at the end of mine. You may not be a monarchist like me but I trust you will approve that the long end music shown and heard was performed by a wonderful national Ukrainian choir in full folk dress. I am still weepy . . . The quiet British way to pass an opinion! Love your spiced scrolls . . .Warren Mendes bought some very doable recipes back to his homeland, didn’t he! Oh – school lunches – from home or from the tuck shop here also tho’ mothers now oft working are not as plentiful to volunteer any more for the task . . .
We did not listen to the Kings Message yesterday, but we will have Sky News on today, and I am sure they will replay it 🙂
These scrolls look bakery perfect, Tandy. We used to spend the X’mas with my parents-in-law, but after they passed away, we just stay home…still went out for our daily walk. Nothing has changed..
I hope that it was a blessed day!
Merry Christmas!!! The scrolls sound fabulous! I’ve never heard the term “harvest table” but it’s my favorite way to entertain. I did it last week for a brunch. Of course, we have the heater on in the house!!!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas 🙂
Those look absolutely marvelous! Perfectly befitting of a holiday celebration. I was trying to decide on what to bake today, and this might just fit the bill. Merry Christmas!
I look forward to seeing your version 🙂
It’s always better to be together with family and friends over the holidays. Enjoying the meal and some warm cinnamon rolls make the day even better!
Thanks!
i like to make a yeastless chelsea bun. It was a hot christmas day here, so it was sitting inside in the air con. Hope you had a great day.
sherry
we did, thank you! It was hot here, but not unbearable 🙂
We really enjoy Chelsea buns but I never had them as a child, Mum was a great cook, but the buns weren’t in her repertoire. We are away from home with our daughter for Christmas so it was spent in the aircon with Turkey breast and salads. Delicious. I intend to make Chelsea buns when it cools down.
I look forward to seeing your recipe 🙂
Tandy, such a beautiful sweet and salty creation – these spiced scrolls look absolutely delicious!
thank you so much!
A lovely recipe, Tandy. Chelsea buns always remind me of high school too. I ate the the same way you did.
Re-reading this post, I feel like I need to make another batch 😉