Hot Cross Buns

With Easter just around the corner, I wanted to make my favourite Easter treat, the Hot Cross Bun. Made using an enriched dough, these buns take a while to prove and knead but the results are entirely worth it. When asked if he had liked them, my other half confessed he had eaten three of the batch I had delivered to his work! I used soy milk and dairy-free butter for the enriched dough but any kind can be used. Happy baking...

Ingredients:
300ml milk
50g butter
500g strong bread flour
1 tsp salt
75g caster sugar
7g fast action yeast (1 sachet)
1 egg
150g mixed fruit
1 large apple
2tsp cinnamon
75g plain flour
3 tbsp apricot jam

Method:
Place your milk and butter in a pan and melt together over a medium heat then set aside to cool enough you can stick a finger in without rude words. Put the bread flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a large bowl and create a dip in the middle. Beat the egg and place this with the milk and butter mix into the well. Using a wooden spoon, gently draw the flour mix into the milk etc until all the ingredients are well combined.

Well flour your kitchen surface and tip the dough out. Knead using the heel of your hand and stretching away for around 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and glossy. Oil a bowl and place the dough in, covering with some oiled clingfilm to prevent a crust forming. Set aside to prove in a warm place (I use the airing cupboard) for around an hour or until it dents when prodded.

While the dough is proving: core, skin and finely chop the apple. Don't be tempted to grate it as this releases loads of moisture and the dough won't rise. Mix the apple with the dried fruit and cinnamon. Once the dough has proved, add the fruit mix into the bowl and knead in the bowl to incorporate the fruit. Place back in your warm spot to prove for another hour, popping the clingfilm back on too.

Once the dough has risen again, lightly flour a couple of baking trays. Pop the dough on a  lightly floured surface and divide it into 15 even pieces (you can see from the picture mine aren't all perfect but, to me, its part of the home-made charm). Gently roll these into balls and place on the baking trays around 1cm apart. Place back into the warmth to prove for another hour.

While the buns are proving, mix together the plain flour and 5 tbsp of water, a tablespoon at a time until it forms a thick paste. Pop this in a piping bag with a thin nozzle then preheat your oven to 160c.

After the buns have proved, pipe lined over them to create crosses, the best way to do this is to create one continuous line over the buns in one direction and the repeat in the other. Pop the buns into the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.

Gently hear the apricot jam until it becomes runny then pass through a sieve to remove lumps. Gently brush this over the buns as soon as they come out the oven to create a glaze. I didn't have any jam so skipped this stage and they still tasted gorgeous.

Place on a wire rack to cool if you can resist the smell, or crack open and slather with butter before stuffing in your mouth!

I would love to see your creations so please tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Heaven

I was never a huge fan of chocolate cake but this... this recipe has me converted. One of my chief cake testers texted me to say they had to hide the cake to prevent themselves from just mashing through the whole thing in a manner reminiscent of Bruce in Matilda! The classic blend of chocolate and orange is always going to be a winner while the addition of a marmalade filling has this tasting like someone blended a chocolate orange with jaffa cakes... Bliss. Try it out, you know you want to.

Ingredients:

For the cake:
6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz butter
3 eggs
1tsp baking powder
3 overly heaped tbsp cocoa powder
zest of 1 large orange

For the icing: 
Juice of half an orange
6oz icing sugar
2oz butter

Added extras:
Marmalade for the filling - I used thin cut
bar of dark chocolate to grate over the top

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160 fan (180 non fan) for around 15 minutes. While the oven heats up place all the cake ingredients in a large bowl or mixer and beat until it becomes smooth, glossy and light to the touch. Liberally grease a couple of 20cm round cake tins and spoon half the cake mix into each. Smooth the mixture down with a spatula and pop in the oven. Bake for around 15-20 minutes until a knife comes out clean and the cakes are starting to pull away from the sides of the tins. Place on a cooling rack and leave in the tins for a few minutes before carefully turning the cakes out. I like to run a spatula round the edge of the tin to ensure the cake is free the carefully jiggle the tin to loosen the cake from the base. If the cake is fully baked and the tin was well greased, the cake should easily come free with very little residue left making washing up very easy!

Leave the cakes to cool completely if possible (I know the smell is almost irresistible) then make up the icing by mixing all the ingredients until they reach the consistency of loosely whipped cream.

Place one of the cakes on your choice of display stand and slather generously with marmalade. Carefully pop the other cake on top and coat liberally with the icing. I then grated dark chocolate over the top to decorate and to counterbalance the sweetness of the icing.

The use of only natural orange in this recipe ensures its not an overpowering flavour but if your oranges are a bit lacklustre a drop of orange extract could easily be used to help.

I know everyone will love this cake so please give it a try and let me know what you think. I also made this entirely dairy free with Pure 'butter' and I am sure this recipe would work well using gluten free flour and baking powder.

My Recent Favourites and New In

One thing I love to read  on other blogs and watch on YouTube is peoples' favourites and new in videos. Its like a little sneak peak into their lives and the ideal way to discover new gems. I gathered together a few things that make me smile or that I reach for on a daily basis, a real mix of everything to share with you all. 

Just before Christmas I found this mixer on buy, swap, sell and my wonderful brother went and collected it for me as it was closer to his home than mine. I have been lusting after Kitchen Aid mixers for years (which baker hasn't) but they are so far out of my current budget I never dreamed of finding anything. This mixer is by EGL and comes with rave reviews on amazon. I love it (obviously) and the pink colour makes me smile every time I use it. It has three different attachments as well as multiple speed settings making it the ideal kitchen addition. 

A long term favourite, I have been using Wonderblur since it launched about three years ago. I worked for THE BODY SHOP at the time and when a new addition to my favourite skincare collection ever launched I knew it would be a winner. This primer smooths the skin like nothing else I have tried, and as someone with seriously dry and awkward skin I have tried a lot, and makes my makeup sit perfectly without creasing or flaking. Always a win in my book. I smooth a pea sized blob over my face with my fingers before applying my foundation. This primer comes in at £18 a tube but lasts me around 6 months of daily use so I figure cost per wear isn't too bad! Try it at your nearby The Body Shop. 

Anybody even slightly interested in makeup will have heard of URBAN DECAY and their incredible palettes. I have three but their NAKED SMOKY palette is the one I have found myself reaching for daily currently to the point I have completely hit pan on one of the shades and have large dents in several others. I love that this palette can be used to create both day and night looks with ease and blends both matte and shimmer shades. As a lover of a subtle smokey eye even during the day, this palette was a no-brainer for me. I know nearly £40 may seem like a lot for eyeshadows ( I know my OH would say its ridiculous) but the range of shades and the colour pay off make these worth it every time for me. I get mine from my local Urban Decay counter.

As someone who triple sets their makeup (don't ask!), I use a LOT of setting spray so one thats affordable and does what it says on the tin is an essential. I find a bottle lasts me around 3-4 months which at £8 isn't too painful. I'm now on my third bottle and haven't looked back. I get mine from my local The Body Shop.

I love shoes. I have probably a few more pairs than strictly necessary but shoes always fit and can make or break an outfit. The next two favourites are recent additions to my wardrobe but are no less loved because of that...

These incredible floral boots are a bit of a marmite piece, you either love them or hate them and I'm utterly smitten! I found these in TKMaxx in the reduced to clear section with one pair left and in my size I knew it was meant to be. Surprisingly comfortable, I have paired these with a skirt and shirt for days out  or jeans and a jumper for a twist on a casual outfit. I plan to wear them with faux leather trousers and a blouse for an upcoming dinner with the girls. These boots are current season Steve Madden and although I paid a fraction of the full price, I would still buy them direct in a heartbeat. Grab the Goldie from Steve Madden, I purchased them in my usual size 39.  

My other recent footwear purchase came in the form of these drool-worthy metallic brogues by Pikolinos. The main hazard of working in a shoe shop is unpacking the new season deliveries, its like Christmas! These barely made it out the poor couriers hands before I had them out the box and on my feet. I haven't worn them properly yet but can't wait to style them with circle skirts or cropped jeans come summer. I've wanted a pair of brogues for years and have never before found a comfortable pair but these are heaven to wear and the perfect subtle statement piece. I got my Pikolinos Royals from Begg Shoes in a size 38, I usually wear a size 39 but found these generous in length although not in width.  

Please share your true loves and recent purchases using #diaryofadefectivehousewife, I'd love to see what makes you smile. 

Disclaimer: I work for Begg Shoes. However, all opinions about products from Begg Shoes are 100% my own and do not reflect the opinions of those at Begg Shoes. These shoes have been purchased by myself, with my own money at a staff discounted price. All my opinions are completely true and honest. I was also an employee of The Body Shop for over 4 years and discovered some of these products while in their employ. I have not been employed by The Body Shop for two and a half years and have used all products purchased with staff discount. All current products have been purchased with my own money either at full price or with discounts available to all The Body Shop customers.

Heart-warming Minestone Soup

I love nothing more than a bowl of homemade soup to cuddle into on a cold day, and Minestrone has to be an all time favourite of mine. I use a variation on the ingredients depending on what needs used up but the basis is always the same. This recipe makes roughly 4 generous portions. I'm sure my version is nothing like the original but its proper, happy food perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Ingredients:
1 large onion
1 inch fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 medium aubergine
1 medium courgette
10 approx button mushrooms
1 bell pepper
salt and pepper
2 tins chopped tomatoes
2 tsp mixed herbs
200g approx pasta, I used macaroni as it was open!

Method:
Chop the aubergine, courgette, mushrooms and peppers into bite sized pieces and set to one side. Take a large pan and add in enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Place over a medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Dice the onion and saute in the oil until translucent. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper as well as the mixed herbs. Peel and grate in the ginger and garlic, stirring to ensure nothing sticks.

After a couple of minutes, add in the chopped vegetables and stir to mix everything thoroughly. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and use the tins to add in water to cover the vegetables.

Add the pasta and give everything a good mix. Leave to simmer over a low heat until the pasta and vegetables are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, around 30 minutes. I like this soup to be quite thick and almost stew like.

I love this soup by itself but its excellent served cheese toastie or with some cheese sprinkled on top for a really indulgent bowl of happiness.

When you make this please tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife. Enjoy!