HOT CROSS BUNS a traditional (and delicious) recipe for Good Friday

Nothing announces the start of the Easter holiday quite like the Hot Cross Bun. Here is a recipe on how to make it.


Hot Cross Buns

Serves: 12-16
Cooking time: 20 minute cooking time plus 2 hours of prep and rising time

Ingredients
100g figs
100g- 150g sultanas
30g mandarin peel
450 ml tea
75g butter
80 g sugar
500 g flour
250ml milk
½ tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For Cross and Glaze
2 tbsp. plain flour
2 ½ tbsp. water
2 tbsp. jam- optional
or
2-3 tbsp. milk.- optional
1 tbsp. sugar

Start by soaking your dried fruit in the warm for at least an hour.
Cream the yeast and a tsp. of sugar with a little warm milk (2 tbsp.) in a small bowl and leave to grow for around 5 minutes.
Sift the flour, spices, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips.
Then add the yeast mixture and warmed milk.
Kneed for around 10 minutes, until all lumps are gone and the dough is smooth.
Place dough into a lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover loosely with Clingfilm.
Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in its size, this will take about 1½ hour.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Drain the dried fruit so there’s no excess water.
Knock back the dough and add the fruit.
Kneed until the fruit is evenly distributed and then form 12-16 even buns.
Place on a baking tray and leave in a warm place for 15-20 minutes to double in size.
To make the cross, mix the flour and water in a small mixing bowl and then place mix into a piping bag.
Pipe a cross on top of each bun.
Pop into the oven and leave to cook. Remove after 15 minutes to glaze with either sweetened milk or jam (jam will make them glossy) then place back in the oven for 5 minutes until completely cooked.
Serve warm with lots of butter!


Enjoy .

Recipe:Katie