Chelsea Buns

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 3/4 cups milk, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil
• For the filling:
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• For the icing:
• 4 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt, and use your spoon to hollow out a little well in the middle. Scatter the yeast and sugar into that well.
2. Set a small saucepan over medium heat and warm 2 tablespoons butter with 1 1/2 cups milk until the butter is melted and the milk feels just warm. Take it off the heat and let it sit for 2 minutes, then pour the mixture into the well in the flour.
3. Stir gently with a wooden spoon, then work in the beaten egg. Once the mixture comes together as a dough, knead it by hand for 5 minutes. Transfer it to a clean bowl, slick the surface with a thin coating of vegetable oil, cover it with a clean dish towel, and set it somewhere warm until it has about doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Gently deflate the dough, then move it to a floured work surface. With a rolling pin, shape it into a rough 8- by 13-inch rectangle, positioning the long side so it runs parallel to the edge of the counter.
5. Melt another 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Brush it over the dough, leaving a 1-inch strip bare along the top edge. Scatter the raisins and brown sugar over the butter, then dust with the cinnamon.
6. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough away from you into a 13 inch-wide log. Slice the log into 8 equal pieces with a thin, sharp knife.
7. Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to coat an 8- by 11-inch baking dish, then arrange the rolls inside. Move an oven rack to the center and heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Let the buns puff in a warm spot until doubled once more, about 30 minutes.
8. Bake the buns until they turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool.
9. While they cool, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk with the confectioner's sugar in a saucepan until the mixture is smooth. Once it reaches a simmer, cook it for 2 minutes. Pour it over the Chelsea buns while it is still warm, then serve them warm.