Hot Cross Buns

Happy belated Easter!

Unfortunately for me, Easter wasn’t a very exciting affair. Although I think it has that effect on most people the older they get.... I’ve also tended to slow my daily consumption of sugar (shockingly). Blame the media and my desire for a smaller bum.

I wanted to make these leading up to Easter....but I was away all week (which will be next post), and then I spent the first three days with the boyf....which really only left the last day of Easter. Plus I figured I don’t HAVE to just eat them over Easter...

Twas my first time....so lessons were learnt. I don’t actually have a deep baking tray so I had to use a casserole dish. Consequently the bottoms were a tad browner then I would have liked thanks to the heat storing properties of the dish. Also, the tops could have been a tad crispier, but thanks to the browning bottoms, I had to take these out before they smouldered. I’d definitely add more spice next time too but overall, definitely delicious warm and smothered in butter....what was that I was saying about mybig bum...? ;)

 

Buns 1 tbspn dried yeast 1 tbspn caster sugar 3/4 cup warm milk 1/2 cup cold milk 50g melted butter 1 egg   Crosses 1/2 cup plain flour 2/3 cup water

3 1/2 cups plain flour 200g mixed fruit 1/3 cup caster sugar 2 tsp mixed spice Pinch salt

Whisk yeast, sugar and warm milk in a jug. Set aside for 10mins until frothy. Whisk in cold milk, butter and egg.
Combine flour, mixed fruit, sugar, mixed spice and salt in a big bowl.

Add frothy yeast mixture and stir to combine. Bring the dough together (I used my hands). On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover with glad-wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 hours (which happens to be 2 eps of my fave show)

Punch in the center of the dough and knead for 2mins. Shape into 12 balls and put in a greased slab pan. Cover and set aside to rise again for 1/2 hour.

Combine flour and water to make a paste and pipe crosses over the buns using either a piping bag or the corner snipped off a freezer/snaplock bag.

Bake for 30mins until golden and cooked through.

Meanwhile in a saucepan, heat some sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. The recipe didn’t include amounts but I used about 2 tbspn sugar in 2/3 cup water...?

When the buns come out of the oven, brush the syrup over the tops. It will make a very satisfying hiss.