|  |  | |  | | Although it is traditional to eat these at Easter they do, of course, taste delicious all year round! This recipe make 12 buns.
Ingredients:
450g or 1 lb strong plain flour
5ml or 1 tsp. salt
15ml or 1 tbsp. Mixed spice
50g or 2oz butter
1 sachet (7g) easy blend dried yeast
225g or 8 oz mixed dried fruit
110g or 4 oz caster sugar
250 ml or 8 fl oz milk
1 egg, beaten
For crosses:
15ml or 1tbsp flour
For glaze:
30ml or 2 tbsp sugar
45ml or 3 tbsp milk
2.5ml or ½ tsp. mixed spice
Cooking Instructions:
Sift flour, salt and spices into a large bowl and mix in the yeast, dried fruit and sugar.
Melt butter, stir in milk and heat gently until tepid (i.e. warm but not hot). Whisk into egg before adding to flour mixture.
Mix well until it forms a dough and then turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough into 12 even pieces and form into balls. Arrange the balls on one large or two small, lightly greased baking sheets, allowing space between each one.
Cover with a clean, damp tea towel or lightly-oiled cling-film (plastic wrap) and leave to prove in a warm place for about one and a half hours until the buns have doubled in size. Don’t worry if they are now touching each other because they can be pulled apart after baking.
To make crosses mix the flour with about one and a half tbsp. of water to make a thick batter. Fill piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe a neat cross on each bun.
Bake at 200C or 400F or Gas 6 for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Place the remaining ingredients plus 45 ml or 3 tbsp cold water into a small pan and heat gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. When the buns are cooked, transfer them onto a cooling rack and brush the glaze over each one twice. Allow to cool.
Pull buns apart (if necessary), split and serve plain or toasted with butter. |
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Hot Cross Buns
