I am generally pretty hopeless when it comes to baking. I don’t enjoy directions and I always think I know best. I don’t.
So, for one, very disciplined day, I baked.
Earl Grey Hot Cross Buns. Very yummy. Enjoy warm out of the oven with cold butter and a cup of tea.
Earl Grey Hot Cross Buns
Makes 8 hot cross buns
Author: Eatin Mess
Ingredients
- 375 g plain flour, sifted
- 27 g caster sugar
- 7 g dried yeast
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup sultanas
- ¼ cup currants
- ¼ cup candied orange peel, coarsely chopped
- 1 orange, finely grated zest
- 75 ml milk
- 75 ml hot water, steeped with 2 teabags of Earl Grey tea and cooled
- 50 g unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
- 1 small egg
- Glaze
- 25 gm caster sugar
- Pinch of mixed spice
- The peeled orange rind, after zesting
Instructions
- Combine 350g flour, sugar, yeast, spices, sultanas, orange peel and rind and ½ tsp sea salt in a bowl. Gently warm milk and butter over a low heat until butter melts and mixture is tepid. Add egg to milk mixture and whisk. Make a well in the centre of flour mixture, add milk mixture and stir. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Knock back dough and cut into 16 equal pieces. Knead each piece into a ball, place on lined baking try about 7 cms apart, cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Combine remaining flour and 2 tbs water and stir to a smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle. Pipe lines down each row to form crosses. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 200°C and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden.
- For glaze, combine ingredients with 2 tbs water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Brush glaze over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- These buns are best enjoyed straight away. A bit like a scone, the sooner the better. Happy Easter.
