PHOODIE’S HOT CROSS BUNS 3

The only difficult thing about this recipe is NOT EATING THE OUTCOME once you’re done!

HCB’s are seriously SUCH a simple thing to make….. they take time due to all the resting and rising, but they are not hard in ANY WAY at all!

Wishing everyone who celebrates Easter a very happy one filled with loads of great food, plenty of family and a sickening amount of CHOCOLATE!

INGREDIENTS

(To make 10 buns)

50 grams unsalted butter

150 ml milk

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon All spice

1 egg

400 grams plain flour

7g dried yeast

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

100 grams chopped dates

50 grams mixed peel

Egg wash – 1 beaten egg

Flour cross – 4 tablespoons plain flour, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, 5 tablespoons hot water

METHOD

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat with the milk, zest and All Spice – set side to cool. Once cooled, whisk in the egg with a fork until all combined.

2. Sift the flour into a bowl and add in the yeast, ginger, cinnamon, peel and dates.

3. Add the cooled milk/egg mix to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon. Turn out onto a floured bench and knead dough until it is fully combined, about 5 minutes.

4. Place the ball of dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm spot for about an hour or so, until it has approx. doubled in size.

5. After it has rested, knead it again for another 5 or so minutes and then pre-heat oven to 210 degrees celsius.

6. Cut the ball of dough in half and then cut each half into 5, leaving you a total of 10 pieces of dough, roll into balls.

7. Put the 10 balls onto a baking paper lined tray about 1cm apart and cover with a kitchen towel for 1/2 and hour.

8. After 1/2 an hour brush each bun with egg wash and then using a disposable piping bag (or a plastic sandwich bag with the tip chopped off) pipe on the flour cross (made from combining all flour cross ingredients in a bowl until you get a thick paste…. if too thin, add flour, if too thick, add water.)

9. Bake for 15 minutes (or until golden – I overcooked mine a tad in the pictures below!)

HAPPY EASTER!

STEP BY STEP SNAPS

THE WET INGREDIENTS

THE DRY INGREDIENTS

COMBINE

THE BUNS

THE HOT CROSS

DONE!