Hot Cross Buns

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 x 7g sachets dried yeast
4 cups plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup mixed dried fruit
1 egg, lightly beaten
100g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

Crosses
1/3 cup plain flour
1 tbs sugar
1/4 cup water

Glaze
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbs water


METHOD
Stir milk and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over low heat until lukewarm, turn off heat.
Stir in yeast, then stand on stovetop for 10 minutes or until mixture is foamy.
Sift 4 cups flour, spices and 1/4 tsp salt into bowl, stir in fruit.
Add yeast mixture, egg and butter then stir until mixture forms a dough.
Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Place in a lightly oil bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Punch dough in the centre, then knead again for 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 16 pieces and shape into balls.
Place in a greased (or use baking paper to line) 23cm square cake tin, cover with plastic wrap.
Stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen level with tin's rim.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Meanwhile, make crosses: stir flour, sugar and water until smooth.
Spoon into a piping bag then pipe crosses over buns.
Bake for 10 minutes then reduce over to 180°C and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and risen.
Turn on to a wire rack to cool.
Make glaze: stir sugar and water in a saucepan over low-medium heat until sugar dissolves then bring to boil.
Brush hot syrup over top of buns and serve warm.

SERVINGS
16


COMMENTS
I added about a tablespoon of bread improver, which made them light and fluffy.
If you don't have a large square tin, use a rectangular lasagne tin, and divide dough into 12 large (3x4) or 20 small (4x5) buns.


SOURCE
Taste.com.au

Hot Cross Buns

INGREDIENTS
1¼ cups milk
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ Tbsp dried yeast (Jesus rises)
4 ¼ cups flour (Eucharist)
½ tsp salt (preserving)
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice (annointing)
¼ tsp ground cloves (nails)
2 eggs (resurrection)
125g melted butter
1 ½ cups dried fruit (wine)
¼ cup chopped peel (bitterness)

CROSSES
½ cup flour
1 Tbsp melted butter
5 Tbsp water (water gushed out his side when pierced)

GLAZE
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp sugar

METHOD
Heat the milk to scalding point.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar.
Cool to lukewarm and sprinkle on the yeast.
Set in a warm place for 10 min or until frothy.
Sift together flour, salt and spices and place half in a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre.
Beat the eggs.
Add the yeast mixture, eggs and melted butter to the large bowl of flour.
Beat well with a wooden spoon.
Then stir in the mixed fruit and peel.
Gradually mix in the rest of the flour to form soft dough.
Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly.
Place in a greased bowl.
Turn over to grease the top of the dough.
Cover with a cloth and put in a warm place until double in bulk about an hour.
Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly.
Divide into 24 even-sized pieces.
Shape into balls and place slightly apart on a greased tray.
Cover and leave to rise again until double in size.
Meanwhile make the dough for the crosses.
Sift the flour and stir in the melted butter and enough of the water for the dough to be piped.
Using a fine nozzle pipe crosses on each risen bun.
Bake at 200 degrees C for 25 mins.

GLAZE
Mix milk and sugar together.
Brush over the buns.
Return to oven for another 5 mins.

SERVINGS
24