Hot Cross Buns

 

You know those blogs and recipe sites that ramble on and on about mundane things before actually getting to the recipe? We don't do that here 😂

So without further ado...

Ingredients:

BUNS:

3 tsp instant yeast (1 sachet)

1/2 cup (110g) sugar

1 1/2 cups (375ml) low fat or full cream milk

4 and 1/2 cups cake flour or bread flour (bread flour allows them to be softer for longer)

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp All Spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups (210g) currants, sultanas, raisins or choc chips

1 - 2 oranges, zest only (this is optional)

3.5 tbsp melted butter (or margarine)

1 egg

EXTRA FLOUR FOR DOUGH

CROSSES:

1/2 cup (75g) cake flour

5 tbsp water

GLAZE:

1 tbsp apricot jam

2 tsp water

Method:

Whisk  2 TBS sugar and yeast into warm milk mixture and set aside for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, add spices, zest, flour, remainder of sugar, salt, and whichever currants etc you choose.

Add the milk/yeast mixture you once set aside, and mix. Add the egg, and melted butter and mix well untill dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.

If you're using a stand mixer, allow the mixer to knead the dough for 5 minutes. If by hand, knead the dough for 10 minutes.

Place in an oiled dish, cover with cling wrap and set aside in a warm place until it has doubled in volume.

Once the mixture has risen, Punch down the dough and form 12 even sized balls, in an oven proof dish big enough to allow room for growth of buns.

Oil some cling wrap to cover the dish and set aside in a warm place for atleast an hour, the dough should 1/2 increase in volume.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Make the crosses mixture and use a ziplock bag or piping bag to pipe them on.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes but start checking them after 23 minutes - you will visually see the tops browning and crosses remain white. Once it has reached the desired colour, remove from the oven.

Mix the glaze together and microwave for 30 seconds in order to get it a little more runny.

Paint the glaze ontop and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy as is or slice open and lather with butter.