Matcha Chelsea Bun Swirls

Method

1. Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips. Stir in the yeast and sugar. Beat the egg and milk together, then stir into the flour mixture. Mix with your hands to form a soft dough.
2. Dust a work surface with a little flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes while you make the filling, by mixing together the melted butter, matcha powder, caster sugar and orange zest.
3. Roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring approximately 25 x 30cm. Spread the filling on top and sprinkle with the almonds. Roll up from one long end and cut into 9 slices with a sharp knife.
4. Grease an 18cm square baking tin with a few drops of vegetable oil, then arrange the buns in it (cut sides up), spacing them apart. Cover with cling film and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 210°C/Gas 7.
6. Bake the buns for 17-18 minutes until risen and golden brown. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes before glazing. For the glaze, put the caster sugar and 3 tbsp water into a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve, then boil for 40-60 seconds. Brush over the warm buns. Cool completely.
7. To decorate, mix the icing sugar with the orange juice to make a thin icing. Drizzle over the buns, then sprinkle them with fine shreds of orange zest and flaked almonds. Leave to set, then serve, sprinkled with a little matcha powder.
8. Tip: Why not double the quantity and freeze half the buns? Same effort – twice the results!