Hot Cross Buns

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Hot Cross Buns

Makes 16

Ingredients

  • 2 sachets of dried yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 500g breadmaking flour (or 500g plain flour + 2 tablespoons gluten flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 50g butter
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried dates or dried figs
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts or chopped walnuts

Cross mixture

  • 4  1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Bun glaze

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon gelatine
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

  1. Mix the dried yeast with the teaspoon of sugar. Warm the flour by microwaving for 2 minutes on high. Sift the flour, add salt and powdered cinnamon, then add the yeast/sugar mixture. Bring milk and butter to boil, then add brown sugar and water and allow to cool. Make a well in the centre of the warm flour and add the milk mixture and lightly beaten egg. Mix to form a soft dough, adding a little extra water if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Press out into a flat shape and add the fruits and nuts. Roll up and knead a little more until the fruit is mixed in. Return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  3. Punch the dough down and divide into 16 pieces. Shape into a ball and place them close together on a greased baking tray. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes until they have doubled in size.
  4. Combine cross ingredients to form a smooth paste. Pour it into a freezer bag, tie the top and cut off one corner to form a 3mm opening. Pipe this mixture to form crosses on the buns. Bake the buns in the preheated 180 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Place buns on a wire cooling rack and brush with the glaze.
  5. Bun glaze – combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil. Brush over baked buns while they’re hot.

Note: Gluten flour is a type of flour that is high in gluten, making it ideal for baking. Bread-making flour (available at most supermarkets) is a good gluten flour to buy. Normal plain flour does have some gluten in it, but bread flour has more.