Tea Time Treats
Some time ago I made this huge tea bun using yeast as a raising agent. It was very delicious and easy to make. I added some orange rind (zest) and juice and some dried fruit. You can add any dried fruit that pleases your palate. If you ever make this tea bun, please make sure you top it up with the glacé icing. You can make the basic glacé icing which requires boiled water and confectioners’ sugar but the water can also be substituted with orange juice which makes It tastes even better. If you have some food colours you can also give it a splash of colour. The bun is best eaten on the same day of baking. We enjoyed eating it and hope you will too.
Iced Tea Bun
Preparation time: 30 minutes + 1½ hours resting time; Baking time: 20 minutes; Makes: 8 wedges
Original Recipe from Family Circle: Scones and Muffins
Ingredients
- 300g plain flour (2½ US cups; 2 Australian Cups, 10.5oz)
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (Fleishmann’s)
- 30g (2 tablespoons) caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated orange rind (zest)
- 50g (¼ cup, 2oz) sultanas (golden raisins) or raisins
- 80ml (⅓ cup) orange juice
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 30g (2 tablespoons) butter melted
- 80ml (⅓ cup) warm water
Glace Icing
- 120g (1 cup) icing (confectioners) sugar
- 15g (1 tablespoon) butter
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) boiling water
- Desiccated (or shredded) coconut to sprinkle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment (greaseproof) paper. Sift the flour, instant yeast, and castor sugar. Add the orange rind and raisins, stir to combine then make a well in the centre.
- Add the orange juice, beaten egg and melted butter into the well and almost all the water.
- Mix to a soft dough, adding more water only if necessary. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (5 minutes if using a stand mixer). (To test press dough, it should spring back without leaving an indent).
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a lightly oiled plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Punch down (knock back) the dough and knead for 1 minute then shape it into a smooth ball. Roll or pat the dough into a 25cm (10 inch) circle. Cover with a lightly oiled plastic wrap and place on prepared baking tray. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes or until well risen.
- Mark the dough into 8 wedges using the blunt side of a table knife. Bake the tea bun for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. (The cooked bun will sound hollow when tapped). Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- To make Glacé Icing: sift the icing sugar into a small heatproof bowl. Make a well in the centre and set aside. Combine the butter and water in a small pan and heat over low heat until butter is melted. Add the butter mixture to the icing sugar and mix to a smooth paste. Stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the icing is glossy but still pourable. Pour the icing over tea bun and sprinkle with desiccated (or shredded) coconut. Serve with tea or coffee. You can colour the glacé icing to a light yellow colour if you want.
- For cup measures: spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml American cup.
Points to Note:
- I baked this bun at 400°F (200°C) for about 19 minutes but felt the oven was too hot. Next time I would reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C).
- Last Updated: 20 July 2019
myfavouritepastime.com
Step By Step Photos
Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment (greaseproof) paper. Sift the flour, instant yeast, and castor sugar.
Add orange the orange rind (zest) and raisins and stir to combine then make a well in the centre.
Combine the orange juice, beaten egg and butter
Add the combined orange juice, beaten egg and melted butter, and almost all the water to the well and mix to a soft dough, adding more water only if necessary.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface
and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (To test press dough, it should spring back without leaving an indent).
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a lightly oiled plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and knead for 1 minute, then shape into a smooth ball. Roll or pat the ball into a 25cm (10-inch) circle. Cover with a lightly oiled plastic wrap and place on the prepared baking tray. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes.
Once the dough is risen, mark it into 8 wedges using the blunt side of a table knife.
Bake the tea bun for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. (The cooked bun will sound hollow when tapped). Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Ingredients for Glacé Icing
- 120g (1 cup) icing (confectioners) sugar
- 15g (1 tablespoon) butter
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) boiling water
- Desiccated (or shredded) coconut to sprinkle
Ingredients for Glacé Icing
Sift icing sugar into a small heatproof bowl. Make a well in the centre and set aside.
To make Glacé Icing:: combine the butter and water in a small pan and heat over low heat until butter is melted.
Add the butter mixture to the icing sugar and mix to a smooth paste. Stand bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until icing is glossy.
Pour the icing over tea bun and sprinkle with desiccated (or shredded) coconut.
Serve with tea or coffee
This bun tastes delicious. What more can I say?
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
Hey… Perfect recipe with scrumptious looks! Perfect with tea.
Please follow and visit my blog, https://artoffood963672556.wordpress.com/
Thanks
Thank you.
Liz
Have a look at a Chelsea bun. I think you might like it 😀
Do you have a Chelsea Bun? Pleasant day to you!
Liz
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2015/apr/16/how-to-make-perfect-chelsea-buns-recipe
Will look at it just now!
Liz
This look so scrumptious! Perfect with tea.
Thank you, Sandhya!
Liz
Visiting your blog so often reminds me of being a kid and coming home from school. I would run straight to the kitchen to see what cake I would find. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful recipes and pictures!
Hi again, Afra,
Don’t we all remember those days when you’d hope your mum baked or cooked something nice. You’d hope a nice smell would hit you…on arrival. Life was good then. Have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
This looks like a light, flavorful cake, Liz. I’m not one much for coconut but I think I’d make an exception here. Good that kids in your area are able to have a Spring break. Many districts around here have used up all of their snow days and had to steal a few from the Spring breaks. It wasn’t the snow but the extreme cold that kept kids home. I hope you guys got some of the weather we received today. It was our first real Spring day. Even with all the snow on the ground, it was fantastic! Have a great week, Liz.
Hi again John,
We had great weather too, on the same day as you did and then came the snow storm the day after, We had only a few of those cold days so Spring Break was not interrupted. We have spent the whole week watching movies. The week is over now. Too fast. I wish you a great weekend, John and hugs to Max. Thanks so much for your constant support!
Liz
It looks delicious. Is this also how you would make buns for Easter?
Hi Lignum
More or less the same procedure, then make them into little buns with a cross on top. Easter is soon here…thank God. The weather is awful right now!
Liz
Wow, this looks so fluffy and light. Love that you added the coconut for texture. How long does this beauty keep in the fridge? Think I’m going to make one in advance for my guests next week. 🙂
Hi Miss Winnie,
Thanks for the compliments. It’s best made and served on the same day. It can keep for a few days but I prefer it fresh. Have a lovely weekend!
lIz
That’s great! I’m hosting a lunch/tea in my flat next week, but I’m trying to save time by making things a day or two in advance. I’ll let you know how it goes, but I’m think the buns would still be lovely and fluffy if properly stored… fingers crossed. 🙂
I wish you all the best in your hosting. I can visualize delicious dishes…you are highly talented. I love browsing your blog. It’s always a pleasure. My fingers and feet crossed for you!
Liz
It is great! I must try to make this!
Thank you. Happy Baking!
Liz
Oh, yes !!! 😀
I really love yeast buns, their texture, smell, flavour… beyond comparison; it’s true that you have to eat them preferably the day they are baked, but it’s a minor drawback (or a huge advantage 😉 ). That orange rind just made may day!
xxx from sunny Alicante (Spain)
Me too. You have truly described them. I am jealous that you’re having it all sunny and nice. Please e-mail me some sun….best wishes
Liz
Omg! That looks amazing. I love iced tea bun….over here we call it iced duck for some reason! Don’t ask me why?!!!
Oh what a lovely name, “Iced duck” I won’t ask why I’ll just smile and enjoy calling it iced duck. Have a lovely weekend!
Liz
Oh my – your pictures, especially of the finished bun makes my mouth water. At first I thought you used blueberries but I am sure the raisins are very good. Enjoy your weekend Liz- a beautiful day today but tomorrow could bring a little snow. At least the winter is finally winding down 🙂
Ain’t we ever so glad the winter is winding down here too! I hope the temperatures don’t dip again so soon. Thanks for the compliments I used raisins but you can sub them with whatever pleases your palate. Have a great week!
Liz
This looks right up my alley! I will have to try it soon. I love a sweet yeast bread every now and then, definitely with an orange glaze on top, maybe cranberries inside. Getting hungry just thinking about it! Enjoy the weekend.
Hi Mama D,
Ha ha cranberries sound lovely. I have that bag that has been sitting in my pantry for months, maybe next time I should use cranberries. Sounds like a good idea! Have a lovely Sunday!
Liz
My mother (and of course, me!) would love this lovely baked confection! I would replace the water with the orange juice too. So nice to hear you’re having beautiful, sunny weather…it hasn’t stopped raining here in 24 hours but I hear sunny and warmer weather is coming next week!
Enjoy your weekend!
Allison
Hi Allison,
The sun really helps when it’s cold (sunny yes but still clocking -14C (7F). Yesterday was warmer though. Sunny and warmer is here too but warm is around 25F.
I hope spring will be here soon although my lawn is full of dandelions…I dread seeing them spring up…in hundreds
Enjoy Sunday
Liz
I broke my tooth when I bit the screen. Hehehe. 🙂
Ha ha you’ve have cracked me up. I enjoyed eating it. It was good and worth breaking a tooth for….have a nice Sunday
Liz
It is tea time here right now… I want this bun!! 🙂
Please have the whole bun and enjoy the tea. Best wishes!
Liz
This looks divine! I love a simple tea cake. Perfect for afternoons where sweet teeth are inevitable. Lovely presentation 🙂
Thank you Lisa. I love afternoon tea and all the goodies that come with it! Have a pleasant Sunday!
Liz
Woow!! This looks so perfect!! Thumbs up!
Thank you
Liz
It looks gorgeous!
Thank you!
lIz
wow!!!! very very good!!!!! thanks
Thank you, Liz
Yum…I will enjoy it with coffee.
Happy eating. I had mine with spicy masala tea!!!
Liz
ohhhh 🙂 It looks very irresistible 🙂
Thank you! We finished in one sitting!
Liz
This looks so yummy, Liz! I love the idea of the orange juice in the icing – so fresh!
I love that too, chef. Thanks!
Liz
Looks like a treat with tea or coffee! I love the use of golden raisins, I find them much nicer in baking. The coconut icing makes it look delicious 🙂
I love most dried fruit but golden raisins are sure special. The icing was the best part of the bun!
Liz
Yum! What a classic! :3
thanks!
LIz
Wow..wow..wow! I shall be making this very soon x
Ha ha enjoy the weekend and Happy Baking!
Liz