Hot Cross Buns

Ahhhh I finally made it this year LOL... each time when I flip thru my Donna Hay's Modern Classics Book 2, I tend to stop at the yummilicious hot cross buns picture. It's also not helping when the blogsphere is inundated with loads of yummy pictures of these buns for the past few days! I know I could actually make them other times but I guess in time for Easter would have made it more apt and perhaps tastier too?

This recipe yielded perfectly soft and fluffy buns which tasted great fresh and warm outta the oven. A slab of butter made it better but I'm already liking it without any!

I've followed the recipe to the T since it's my first time making the buns but did minor adjustments here and there. For the paste, looking at the recipe, seems like it will yield a whole lot more than needed. So I've just guesstimate the ratio of flour and water till a thickish but runny paste.

As for the glaze, I will omit the gelatine as it made the top of the buns extraordinary sticky but then again that was like just after glazing the buns not long. I just chuck some into the toaster oven now and it's not as sticky as yesterday.

Hot Cross Buns
Adapted from Donna Hay's Modern Classics 2

Ingredients:
For the buns:
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 cups milk, lukewarm
4 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
50g butter, melted
1 egg
1 cup raisins (I soften them by soaking them with warm water then squeeze out the water)
1/3 cup candied orange peel (optional which I've omitted)

For the crosses: (I just mixed the ratio of flour and water into thickish but still runny)
1/2 cup plain flour
1/3 cup water

For the glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine (dissolved in a 1 tablespoon of water)

Method:
1) Place the yeast, 2 teaspoons of the sugar and milk in a large mixing bowl. Set
aside for 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to foam. When it forms, it means
the yeast is active.

2) Add flour, allspice, cinnamon, butter, egg, raisins, orange peel and remaining sugar to the yeast mixture. Use a spoon to mix until a sticky dough forms.

3) Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes, or until it feels elastic. You can use the hook dough on your heavy duty mixer but I didn't. Stretching this dough is not all that difficult.

4) Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and allow to stand in a warm place about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

5) Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls.

6) Line a 9X9-inch cake tin with non-stick baking paper. Place the dough balls in the tin and cover with a clean tea towel. Allow to stand for 30 minutes in a warm place, or until they rise.

7) In the mean time, preheat the oven to 200°C. Combine the flour and water for the crosses. Place in a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off and pipe crosses on the buns when they are ready to be baked.

8) Bake for 35 minutes or until browned and springy to the touch.

9) To make the glaze, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour in gelatine mixture and cook till dissolved. Brush the hot cross buns with the warm glaze while the buns are hot. Serve warm, with butter.

Ref: Modern Classics Book 2, Donna Hay