Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns…
So this is slightly cheating as after I’d finished my lovely hot cross buns, I realised I’d forgotten to take any pictures. So here, then, in a bit of a ‘mash-oop’, as De Brevren would say is a new recipe, with pics from last year.
This recipe takes a bit of time, but is one of those recipes that’s just so much better home-made than bought. So set aside a chilly Easter weekend (I can definitely remember sunny Easters – what’s happened to our weather?) for an afternoon of kneading and baking. Nom.
450g strong white bread flour
1 tbsp mixed spice
1 tsp salt
75g sugar
1 x 7g sachet dried yeast
100g sultanas (or mixed peel if you must – bleurgh)
150ml milk
150ml water
Zest of 1 orange
50g butter
First, then, sieve the flour and ground mixed spice together into a large bowl. Next, stir in the salt, sugar, dried yeast and sultanas.
In a small saucepan (or jug if you’re doing it in the microwave) warm the milk, water, orange zest and butter until the butter is just melted, then turn off the heat. Let it cool so that when you stick your finger in, it feels like blood temperature. If your BFF happens to have bought you the most fantastically gorgeous Kitchenaid, like me, then set it on low and slowly pour in the milky mixture until the dough comes together (you might not need all of it so go steady), then plug in the dough hook and set it to knead for a good five minutes.
If you’re old-fashionedy or a still waiting to meet the mixer of your dreams (they do actually come out nicer and lighter if you knead them by hand), you’ll have to get to it for at least ten minutes. Yes, I know, sorry, but it’s true. Knead away, then, getting a good kitchen workout into the bargain. The sultanas keep trying to escape, but grab any of the little blighters trying to make a quick getaway and poke them back in. Keep going until the dough is nice and springy and firm (apparently, good dough should be the texture of a woman’s breast).
Erm anyway, moving swiftly on… when your dough is sufficiently boob-like, leave it covered in a warm place until it’s doubled in size. Then, just knock it back with your fist (imagine it’s someone you can’t stand – nice bit of culinary therapy there), and cut it in half, then half again and half again. Form each of your 8 pieces into a ball and place them on a baking tray. Cover and rise again until they’re puffed up.
If you want to add the cross, then mix about 2 tbsp flour, a tsp of caster sugar and enough water to make into a paste and either just dribble it with a teaspoon, or pipe it onto your buns (ooer Missus). Or, you can cut a cross in the top of the buns, like so:
…and pipe the cross into the little lines like so:
But whatever you think. Let’s not obsess here, they’re just buns.
One thing which is rather fund to do is to place your little buns, well spread out, inside a large, springform tin, which produces a little circle of buns that you have to tear off – good for novelty value:
Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 180/gas 6 until they sound hollow when patted on the bottom (sorry, I seem to be filling this recipe with comedy references). Finally, when they’re just out of the oven, glaze with a tbsp of sugar to which a drop or two of boiling water has been added, or warm up some apricot conserve and brush it on for extra glossy stickiness.
Now, to the important business of face stuffing: if you’re eating them straight out of the oven (a move I heartily recommend), slather them in butter and be done with it. But if you’re eating them maybe the next day, split and toast them first. If you’re going to freeze them, slice them in half first so they can go straight in the toaster.
However you like your buns (there I go again), I wish you a wonderfully HAPPY EASTER with your nearest and dearest. Save me an egg.
I will have to go check on Boob Firmness… and also, I am worried you know how warm blood it .. are you a Vampire ??
It isnt speedy at all, the bun dough took 2 hours 20 and a decent loaf takes about 5 hours, but then that is why it works so well I think
Just tagged you in an award at my blog, my dear. xx