Recipe: Hot Cross Buns

It always saddens me that Easter is not celebrated more in the US, especially when it's actually well aligned with Spring unlike how it was in Australia. Consequently that means it's actually very hard to find decent Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns. Thankfully husband has been hard at work on #pandemicbaking and so here's his recipe for future reference. 

Ingredients

3 tspns instant or rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup Castor sugar (Bakers' sugar)
1 1/2 cups Warm milk
4 1/4 cups bread flour
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sultanas (golden raisins)
Zest of 1-2 oranges
1 egg

1/4 cup (35g) Extra bread flour

For Crosses 

1/2 cup flour

100 ml water

For Glaze 

1 tbsp apricot jam

2 tspn water

Method

• 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.
• Mix using a mixer or bread machine until a smooth elastic dough forms. 
• Add extra flour if required, just enough so dough comes away from side of bowl when mixing
• Rise 1 will  take anywhere between 30 minutes to 90 mins depending on temperature / humidity
• Line a baking tray with paper or silicon mat
• Punch dough to deflate and dust work surface with flour. Roll into a log to further deflate the air and 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.
• Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. and repeat with the remaining doughsiSpray a pieceof cling wrap lightly with oil (any), then loosely place over the tray.
• Rise 2 for 30 - 45 minutes or until 75% increased in size, preheat oven to 180 C (350F)
• For the crosses mix flour and water until a thick runny paste forms and put into a piping bag then remove the paper and draw crosses onto the buns
• Bake for 22 minutes, or until the surface is a deep golden brown then remove buns from the oven
• Heat the jam and water in a pan or in the microwave and mix to combine, then brush onto the cooked buns to glaze
• Allow to cool before serving