Hot cross buns

Makes 6 – 8 hot cross buns

Prep time – 10 minutes | proving time – 40 minutes | cooking time – 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g strong flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 50g golden caster sugar
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 225g mixed dried fruit
  • 1 x 7g sachet dried yeast
  • 2 large free-range eggs, whisked
  • 200ml whole milk

For the crosses

  • 60g plain flour
  • honey, to glaze

METHOD

  • Add flour salt, mixed spice and sugar to a bowl and stir together
  • Rub in the butter with your fingertips
  • Stir in the dried fruit, sprinkle over the yeast and mix in
  • Warm the milk slightly and mix with the whisked eggs
  • Add this mixture to the flour and fruit and combine well until it becomes a loose dough
  • Break the dough into 6 – 8 even-sized pieces and place on a lightly floured surface
  • Mould them into individual buns and place them on a lined baking tray well apart from each other
  • Allow the buns to prove for 30 – 40 minutes until they have grown by about 50%
  • Preheat the oven to 200˚C
  • To make the crosses mix the flour with a little water to make a paste and add to a piping bag
  • Once the buns have risen, carefully pipe the mix to make a cross on each bun
  • Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until risen and golden, remove to a wire rack to cool
  • Once the buns have slightly cooled, brush with honey and allow them to cool completely

 

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