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.
Vine fruits and apple provide much of the body. Candied fruit is important too—usually lemon and orange peel, but sometimes cherries. Ginger and prunes are welcome additions, too. The essential trinity of spices is cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, but the ingredient list may just say "spices," which isn't very helpful.
Heat a pile of mincemeat in a pan with sugar, orange and lemon juice, orange peel, half a cinnamon stick and brandy, wait for it to thicken and then stir in some whipping cream.
Raw meat is good for around 5 days in the fridge, while mince will only last from between 1-2 days. The freezer is a completely different story. Mince will keep for around 4 months, while whole cuts of beef or lamb can happily last for up to a year.
I always add extra cherries and brandy to mine. I warm it slightly in a pan and stir in the extra ingredients - then leave it to sit while I sort out the pastry.
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.
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.
The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.
The minced meat remains safe to eat as long as it has been correctly refrigerated and consumed by the use-by date on the package. However, because of the large surface area of mince, it tends to have a shorter shelf life than other meat.
I make mincemeat every two or three years and it's always fine. Stir a little brandy in if it looks a bit dry. Been doing this for 60 years without any ill effects. If it looks and smells fine, , I'd use it.
The high sugar content of mincemeat, enhanced by fat and perhaps alcohol, means mincemeat can be stored at a cool ambient temperature for many months. Once opened it will keep for even longer refrigerated.
For More Tender Ground Meat, Grind It After Cooking Too
And it's easy enough to get: Just cook your meat with seasonings as you usually would, then cool the mixture and transfer it to a food processor. Pulse it together to your desired consistency and you'll have a much more tender and hom*ogenous filling.
Instructions: 180°C / Fan 160°C / Gas 4 8 mins Can be eaten warm or cold. Remove outer packaging. Place pies (still in foil cases) on a baking tray in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 8 minutes. Leave to stand for 3 minutes after heating.
Versions containing animal fats should be cooked before use but those including butter can be used as they are, perhaps stirred into an ice cream mixture. You could even serve an especially tasty version with whipped or clotted cream as a sumptuous festive topping for warm scones.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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