Homemade Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
One a penny, two a penny
Hot cross buns

If you have no daughters
Give them to your sons
One a penny, two a penny
Hot cross buns!

We were singing this nursery rhyme all day yesterday as we fed our yeast, watched it grow, kneaded with patience and then formed our dough... into a modest battalion of sticky-glazed soft and fluffy hot cross buns!

This was the first time we'd made hot cross buns. The smell of yeast was a little overpowering at times... it reminded me of trips to the brewery with the heady smell of mash.

In our post-cooking debrief we decided that next time we should cook the buns at a lower temp as ours turned out a little crusty on the top and bottom. And it's essential that the buns are all lined up in a perfect grid, otherwise when you pipe the crosses you may have to swerve a bit to make sure you're crossing down the middle of each bun! But overall we were pleased with our efforts and the sensation of eating homemade hot cross buns fresh from the oven was utter domestic bliss.

Much applause to my cooking buddy-in-crime, Veruca Salt!

Hot Cross Buns
from Australian Good Taste magazine

Makes 16

Melted butter, to grease
250ml (1 cup) warm milk
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
2 tsp (14g/2 sachets) dried yeast
60g melted butter, extra
1 egg, lightly whisked
600g (4 cups) plain flour
1 tbs bread improver
1 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice
170g (1 cup) sultanas
80g (1/2 cup) currants
95g (1/2 cup) mixed peel
Plain flour, extra, to dust
Butter, to serve

cross paste
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
80m (1/3 cup) cold water

glaze
2 tbs caster sugar
2 tbs cold water
1 tsp powdered gelatin

Brush a square 23cm cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Combine the milk, sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Place in a warm draught-free place for 10 minutes or until foamy.

Combine the yeast mixture, melted butter and egg in a jug. Sift the combined flour, bread improver, salt and mixed spice in large bowl. Add the sultanas, currants, and mixed peel. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir until combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding more flour to the dough if required. Brush a large bowl with a little melted butter to grease. Please dough in bowl and turn to coat in butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and place in a warm draught-free area to prove for 1-1 1/2 hours or until dough doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 200C. Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic and has returned to its original size. Divide dough into 16 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Place dough portions side by side in a prepared pan. Stand in a warm draught-free place for 20-30 minutes or until dough has rise 1-2cm.

Meanwhile, to make the crosses, combine the flour and water in a small bowl to create a smooth paste. Place in a small plastic bag and snip a corner to make a 5mm opening. Pipe the flour paste in a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns. Repeat in the opposite direction to make crosses. Bake buns in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until buns and golden and cooked through. When they're ready, the buns will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.



Meanwhile, to make the glaze, combine sugar, water and gelatine in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens slightly. Remove buns from oven and turn onto a wire rack.



Brush tops with glaze. Serve hot with butter.



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Hot cross buns (2009)