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!