I’m not sure how it’s possible with only a few ingredients in the dough, but these are some of the best yeasted rolls I’ve ever made or even eaten. The texture of these Cornish Splits (named for how you split them open) are so light and tender inside! These heavenly rolls are a much-loved addition to any table – perfect for dinners, family gatherings, or even a spot of tea.
To Make These Rolls
For this recipe we’re adding the yeast to warm milk along with some melted butter for a rich taste. Once that’s foamy add it to the dry ingredients.
I ended up using 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour here, but the dryness of the flour affects how much you might need in any baking recipe. For these rolls you want a slightly shaggy dough that still holds together.
These rolls do need to rise twice, the first time in the bowl and the second time after you’ve rolled them into balls. The second rise is only 15 minutes thankfully.
Pack the baking dish more tightly and you’ll have square buns, while spacing them out more will result in round buns.
How to Enjoy Cornish Splits
There’s only a 45 minute drive between Devon and Cornwall, but even so a debate rages on to this day about how to eat buns and scones. Is it jam first and then cream or the other way around? As an American I know which way I’d do it if left to my own devices. But, since this is a British roll and a very UK argument I will defer to them.
These are Cornish splits and in Cornwall the preferred way to enjoy a roll like this for tea is to apply the jam and then pile the cream on afterwards.
Even British baking legend Mary Berry can’t decide on one right way and has stated that she does jam first when in Cornwall and cream first when in Devon!
For the cream I’m lucky that some of my local grocery stores carry both clotted cream and double cream. I used clotted cream on cooled rolls for these photos. The texture is like a thinner version of mascarpone and probably has almost as much fat If I’m being real. To my palate the clotted cream adds a silky, rich texture more than it imparts flavor. Think of a cake with jam and cream inside- you’d need both to get the full experience.
You can use mascarpone if you cannot find clotted cream. You can also use whipped cream if you don’t have any of these international specialties on hand. The rolls are incredible with or without all the extras!
These Cornish splits are also really good when served warm with just a little butter. It melts into the soft, pillowy inside of the bun for a simple, but delicious flavor. I would argue that these rolls are delicious no matter how you dress them up!
Cornish Splits
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 packet dry activated yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Add butter and milk to microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until warm. If too hot let stand a few minutes. Stir yeast and sugar into milk mixture and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
- In electric mixer combine flour and salt. Slowly mix milk mixture into dry ingredients. Add more flour in ¼ cups if dough is too wet.
- Place dough into a greased bowl and cover. Set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
- Roll out dough on floured surface and knead into a ball. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each wedge into a ball and place into a greased 9”x9” baking dish. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Buns should sound hollow when you knock on them.
- Serve hot with butter or serve these rolls cooled with some clotted or whipped cream and jam as they do in Cornwall.
Recipe adapted from The English Kitchen.