Hot Cross Buns

Here are two fantastic hot cross bun recipes. One kind is chocolate & orange, the other is traditional fruit hot cross buns. Makes 12.


You will need:

Main Ingredients:

-1c milk

-2 tsp active yeast granules

-2 tsp sugar

-4 1/4 cups high grade flour

-1/2 tsp salt

-3 tsp cinnamon

-2 tsp mixed spice (1 tblsp cinnamon, 1 tblsp nutmeg, 1 tblsp allspice, 2 tsp mace, 1 tsp ground cloves)

-1 Egg

-50g melted butter

Chocolate & Orange:

-1/2c orange peel

-1/2c chocolate chips

Traditional Fruit:

-1 cup mixed dried fruit

Crosses:

-1/2c plain flour

-1/2c water

Glaze:

-2 tblsp sugar

-1/2 tsp gelatin

-2 tblsp water

Method:

1. Heat the milk until it is lukewarm.

2. Mix in the yeast and sugar and set aside for 5 mins until frothy.

3. Mix together the flour, salt, spices and choc orange/fruit ingredients in a large bowl.

4. Make a well in the center and pour in the egg, butter and yeast mixture.

5. Mix with a knife until the dough comes together.

6. Put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins until it is smooth and elastic (add a little extra flour if the dough is sticky).

7. Wash, dry and lightly grease the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover it and set aside in a warm spot for one hour or until the dough has gotten almost twice as bigger.

8. Take the dough out from the bowl, lightly knead it and then divide it into 12 balls.

9. Place the balls snugly together in a lightly dusted small roasting pan or a square cake tin.

10. Cover and set aside to rise for another 30 mins.

11. Preheat the oven to 200˚c.

12. Mix together the cross mixture, then put into a piping bag or a plastic sealable bag with a corner cut off to make a small nozzle.

13. Pipe crosses onto each bun.

14. Bake buns in the oven for 15-20 mins until they have coloured and the dough crust on top feels firm.

15. Meanwhile, warm the glaze ingredients together, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

16. Brush the hot buns with glaze and set aside to cool.