Easter Holidays are almost here! Looking for a fun and yummy activity to keep the kids busy? Looking for a project for a rainy day? Looking for something delicious that you can make by hand?
Not much beats a freshly baked hot cross bun! The homely cinnamon-spicy smell of this traditional recipe - while they bake is worth the effort alone! Perfect to get the kids involved- with a bit of activity and then breaks followed by more activity- it's a fantastic to keep little ones engaged throughout the morning.
What You Need:
BUNS:
3 teaspoons instant or rapid rise yeast (9 grams)
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk, warm
4 1/4 cups (640g) bread flour (or plain / all purpose)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp All Spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (210g) sultanas
1 - 2 oranges, zest only
50g / 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
For dusting your work surface- 1/4 cup (35g) Extra bread flour
CROSSES:
1/2 cup (75g) flour
5 tbsp water
GLAZE:
1 tbsp Berenberg Apricot Jam
2 tsp water
What To Do:
Place flour, yeast, sugar, all spice, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Briefly mix with stand mixer** fitted with a dough hook**.
Add butter, milk, egg, sultanas and zest.
Standmixer: Mix until a smooth elastic dough forms - 5 minutes on Speed 2 of standmixer. After 1 minute, add extra flour if required, just enough so dough comes away from side of bowl when mixing and doesn't stick terribly to your fingers. (Note 5).
**Hand kneading: Alternatively, dust a work surface with flour and knead by hand for 10 minutes.
Dough is kneaded enough when it's smooth and does not break when stretched.
RISE #1:
Leave dough in the bowl, cover with cling wrap and place in a warm, wind free place to rise until doubled in size. This will take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on how warm it is.
FORMING BALLS
Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm tray with baking paper with overhang.
Remove cling wrap and punch dough to deflate.
Dust work surface with flour, place dough on work surface, shape into a log - this will deflate the air. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
Take one piece and press down with palm, then use your fingers to gather into a ball, then roll the dough briefly to form a ball. This stretches the dough on one side and that's how I get a nice smooth surface.
Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Repeat with remaining dough. Line them up 3 x 4.
RISE # 2:
Spray a piece of cling wrap lightly with oil (any), then loosely place over the tray.
Return tray to warm place and leaver 30 - 45 minutes, until the dough has risen by about 75% (less than double in size).
Partway through Rise #2, preheat oven to 180°C (all oven types).
CROSSES:
Mix flour and water until a thick runny paste forms
Carefully apply- PRO TIP- Spoon into a round 3 mm piping bag or small ziplock bag then snip corner.
Remove the cling wrap and pipe crosses onto the buns. Go slow so it hugs the curves.
BAKING/GLAZE:
Bake for 22 minutes, or until the surface is a deep golden brown. The surface colour is the best test for this recipe.
Meanwhile, place jam and water in a bowl, microwave for 30 seconds. Mix to combine.
Remove buns from oven. Use baking paper overhang to lift buns onto a cooling rack.
Brush with jam mixture while warm. Allow to cool to warm before serving.
Best enjoyed with friends, family, and lashings of butter!
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