Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter!!

This time of year for a lot of people represents a very special moment in the religious world. For me it is a time to indulge in some chocolate, have a beautiful piece of fish (can't go wrong with Crispy Skinned Salmon) for Good Friday dinner and relax with friends and enjoy a few drinks

One thing I have always wanted to try and make is Hot Cross Buns. No one can think of Easter without thinking of these beautiful fruit filled spiced bundles of morishness (yes it's a word).

The recipe I have used this year is a mixture of a few that I have found while researching. Some as for mixed fruit, some with sultanas & craisins and others use warm sieved apricot jam to glaze.

I have given it a Little Gated Kitchen twist...made it a hybrid if you want to call it that. And no, by hybrid I don't mean it is better for the environment.

These Hot Cross Buns were so simple it makes me wonder what I did wrong last year to stuff them up..but hey practice makes perfect right?

You should be able to make these with staples from your pantry or fridge. So here goes nothing.

Hot Cross Buns

Makes 12

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons of dry active yeast (2 x 8g sachets)
• 310ml of milk, warmed
• ¼ cup of caster sugar
• 4 cups of plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice
• a pinch of salt
• 60g butter
• 1 cup sultanas
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ⅓ cup self raising flour
• apricot jam, warmed and seived, for brushing

Whisk milk, yeast and sugar together until sugar dissolves completely. Set aside for about 10 minutes until yeast actives and foams. Sift flour, spices and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Rub butter into flour mix with your finger tips.

Stir in the sultanas, eggs and yeast mixture and combine. Turn out onto floured surface (use plain flour) and knead for 5 minutes. If mixed is still a bit sticky, knead more flour through. Put dough in a well oiled bowl (spray oil is fine), cover, and let it proof in a warm spot for 45 minutes. 

Punch down dough, and knead until smooth. *based on todays recipe my mixture weighed 1.3kgs. So split dough into 12 even portions, approx 110g each. 

Roll into balls and place in a greased 30cm x 20cm baking tin. Set aside for another 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 200℃/390℉. Combine self raising flour with ¼ cup of water until it forms a paste. Pipe crosses on to buns.

Bake for 10 minutes at 200℃/390℉ then 15 minutes at 180℃/360℉. Brush buns with warm jam to glaze.

I wouldn't even wait for them to cool before breaking them apart and serving them with lashings of butter. So so good.

This is a versatile dough that can be used any number of ways. Leave the cross off and have them as a normal fruit bun. Add chocolate chips instead of sultanas for an indulgent version or bake it as a whole loaf, glazed with jam and dusted with cinnamon sugar.

Bon Appétit from The Little Gated Kitchen.