Hot Cross Buns
Makes Approximately16
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (310ml) milk
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
14g dried yeast
4 1/3 cups (650g) plain flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 (190g) mixed organic dried fruit – make sure there is no sulphur in your dried fruit
(or 1/2 cup organic sultanas and ½ cup organic currants or craisins)
¼ cup water
1 egg, lightly beaten
100g unsalted pure butter, melted and cooled
2 tblsp water
Method
1. Mix the milk and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a saucepan over a low heat
until it is lukewarm. Turn off the heat. Stir in the yeast, then stand
on stovetop for 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.
2. Sift 4 cups of the flour, the spices and the salt into a bowl. Stir
in the fruit. Add the yeast mixture, egg and butter and stir until the
mixture forms a dough.
3. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes or until the mixture is
smooth and elastic. Place into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a
clean tea towel. Stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until the mixture
has doubled in size.
4. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and shape into balls. Place into a
greased 23cm square or round cake tin (they can be placed on a tray but be sure
they are touching). Cover with the tea towel and stand in a warm place
for 30 minutes or until the dough has risen to be level with tin's rim.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C for fan forced. Combine the
remaining flour, 1 tblsp of the sugar and 1/4 cup water until the
mixture is smooth. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag (or a snap lock
bag, sealed with a corner snipped off) and then pipe crosses over buns.
Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the oven to 180°C (160°C for fan forced)
and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the buns are golden and risen.
Place on to a wire rack to cool.
6. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup sugar with 2 tblsp water in a
saucepan over low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the syrup
to the boil. Brush the hot syrup over the top of the buns. Serve.
TIP: If the buns are not as soft the next day, simply reheat in the oven.
VARIATION: If you would a chocolate treat, simply replace the dried
fruit with Nestle Choc bits to make Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns.
Quick Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
225g of plain flour
25g of pure butter
40g of raw sugar
150mls of milk
6g of dried yeast
80g of organic mixed dried fruit – sulphur free
1 teaspoon of mixed spice
1 teaspoon of salt
For The Crosses
25g pure butter, softened
55g plain flour
4 tbsp water
For The Glaze
2 tablespoons of raw sugar
1 tablespoon of milk
Method
- Place the flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs.
- Add the yeast, fruit, sugar and spice and stir to combine.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan until warm and then add it to the mixture, mixing to form a soft dough.
- Place the dough onto a floured surface and begin to knead until it loses the stickiness and gets elastic.
- Divide the mixture into eight pieces and shape into rolls. Place these onto a greased baking tray, close together but not quite touching.
- Cover the tray with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for about an hour, allowing the dough to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 220oC or 200oc for fan forced.
- For the crosses, blend the butter and the flour together and add 4 tablespoons of water.
- When the dough has risen for an hour, pipe the cross mixture on the top of each bun forming a cross.
- Place the buns onto a baking tray and put into the oven for 15 minutes or until the buns look golden brown.
- For the glaze, place the milk and sugar into a saucepan and warm until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and brush over the buns after their 15 minutes in the oven.
- Return the glazed buns to the oven and bake for another two minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool or serve freshly baked.
VARIATION: If you would a chocolate treat, simply replace the dried
fruit with Nestle Choc bits to make Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns.
