‘… if you have no daughters, give them to your sons…’ At this time of year it is possible to buy hot cross buns anywhere – but I think there is nothing better than freshly made ones!
Warm cross dough
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Jeremy Strode in Good Living 2011
Makes: 12 large or 24 small buns
Equipment:
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Ingredients:
Crosses
Glaze
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What to do:
The dough mixture:
- Mix yeast with 200ml warm water & pinch of sugar in a small bowl and leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate.
- Chop the apricots.
- Place butter, salt, cardamom, the rest of the sugar and the plain flour in the mixer and combine.
- Add eggs and yeast mixture and beat until smooth.
- Add apricots and when combined, leave in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours to double in size.
Start of lesson:
- Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Punch dough down to its original size. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide into 12 even portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place balls onto baking paper-lined tray so that the balls just touch. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 190°C.
- Whilst the buns are proving you can make the next dough mixture (above) for the next class.
- After the 30 minutes is up, mix self-raising flour, milk powder and 100ml water together in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon into a small snap-lock bag. Snip off a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag. Pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses. Bake for 20 minutes until buns are cooked through.
- Meanwhile make the glaze: Place 1/3-cup water and sugar into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Brush warm glaze over warm hot cross buns. Divide among serving plates – slicing if needed – & then eat!
Notes: If you have no skim milk powder for the crosses then the self-raising flour will work with milk or even water!
Hot cross bunsters
The Bondi Cook 