Devonshire Splits

Based on the Paul Hollywood recipe and the Great British Bake Off. A slightly different version is here.

NOTES

1. Makes 8 dessert buns. Half amounts for 4 in parentheses.

2. Two rises plus cooling time are needed. Allow 3 hours for this recipe.

3. The chantilly cream/whipped cream should be made only after the rolls are cooled and people are ready to eat them, otherwise the cream liquifies. Jeanne's suggestion is to make a vanilla pastry cream instead, which is more stable, or to fill them with ice cream--vanilla or strawberry. Also, 1-2 hours before preparing the whipped cream, put a large metal bowl into the fridge to get cold.

4. The jam can be made ahead of time.

5. Instead of the jam, we used homemade strawberry sauce and then boiled it 4-6 minutes on medium low until slightly thickened.

Combine 6 oz fresh, hulled strawberries, 4 oz sugar, and 1/2 oz freeze-dried strawberries in blender until smooth, about a minute. Then transfer to airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

INGREDIENTS

For the jam, which can be made ahead of time

100g strawberries (50g)
125g jam sugar (63g), like SureJell 

NOTE: This chart gives you an idea of how much pectin is in some common jam making fruits. In general soft-fleshed, delicate fruits have less pectin and firmer fruits have more pectin.

For the dough

335g bread flour (168g), plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp salt (1/4 tsp)
25g baker's sugar (13g) (aka caster sugar)
9g instant yeast (5g) (fast-action dried yeast)
215ml (scant 1 cup) whole milk (1/2 cup)
25g unsalted butter (13g) at room temperature, cubed
vegetable oil, for greasing

For the chantilly

400ml (1-3/4 cups) double cream or heavy whipping cream (scant cup)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (1/4 tsp)
15g confectioners sugar (7g)

Alternative to the chantilly: Pastry cream
Alternative recipe from Waitrose 

PREPARATION

Make ahead: Strawberry Jam

Place the strawberries in a small deep-sided saucepan and crush them with a masher. 

Add the sugar for the jam and bring to a boil over a low heat until the sugar has melted. 

Increase the heat and boil for 4 minutes; prepare an ice bath while it's heating. 

Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a heat-proof bowl. Put in the prepared ice bath and chill to set.

First part of the dough

1. Cube the butter ahead of time and give it time to get to room temp.

2. In a large bowl place the flour and on one side of it, add the salt and sugar; then on the other side, add the yeast.

3. In a small pan, heat the milk until warm but not hot, about 95-100F.

4. Add the butter and 3/4 of the milk to the flour, then gently use a bowl scraper to mix together.

5. Add the remaining milk a little at a time, mixing until combined and the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

6. Oil the worktop to prevent sticking and then knead the dough on it for at least five minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Alternatively, use a standing mixer with a dough hook for 5 mins on low, as mentioned in this Will Torrent video.

7. Lightly oil the bowl, return the dough to it and cover. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.

Second part of the dough

8. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

9. Lightly flour your work surface, scrape the dough out of the bowl, and fold inwards repeatedly until all the air has been knocked out and the dough is smooth. Divide into 8 equal pieces (4 pcs).

10. Roll each piece into a ball/boule by placing it into a cage formed by your hand on the work surface and moving your hand in a circular motion, rotating the ball rapidly.

11. Put the boules on the prepared baking tray, placing them slightly apart. Place the tray in a clean plastic bag, or loosely cover with clingfilm and rest in a warm place, or proof and leave to prove for about 40 minutes until the rolls have doubled in size.

12. Heat the oven to 400°F and bake boules for 12-15 minutes, until the rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Remove from baking tray and place on a wire rack to cool.

Chantilly cream and filling the buns

After the buns are done baking, and people are ready for their treat, in a large, pre-chilled bowl combine the cream, vanilla and confectioners sugar and whip until it holds a soft peak; chill until ready to fill the buns.

When ready, use a serrated knife to cut a single deep, angled slit into the top of each bun.

Use a small offset spatula to spread a thick layer of prepared jam on both sides of the split and then with a pastry bag, generously fill each bun with chantilly cream. 

Using a small offset spatula, smooth the cream flush with the top of the bun.

Preparing to decorate the buns

Hull and slice strawberries very thinly. 

Lay the strawberry slices in a line along the length of the cream filling, gently pressing them into the cream until flush. 

Dust with confectioners sugar to serve.