Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
MAKES 16 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ PROVING TIME) ¾ cup (180ml) milk 1½ tablespoons honey 1½ tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil 50g butter, chopped ¾ cup (180ml) apple or pear juice, at room temperature 7g sachet dry yeast 1 egg, at room temperature ½ cup (80g) dried currants ½ cup (80g) sultanas 4 cups (600g) bread flour (see Test Kitchen tips) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon fine salt
FLOUR PASTE
½ cup (75g) plain flour 1 tablespoon caster sugar ⅓ cup (80ml) cold water, approximately
GLAZE
1 tablespoon caster sugar 1 teaspoon powdered gelatine 1 tablespoon water
1 Heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot; remove from heat. Add honey, oil and butter; stir until butter has melted.
2 Whisk juice and yeast in a large bowl until dissolved. Add egg, then currants and sultanas. Add combined flour, cinnamon and salt, then milk mixture; using your hands, mix together until combined. Cover with plastic wrap; stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
3 Briefly knead the dough on either a lightly oiled or floured surface for 10 seconds; return to bowl. Cover; stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until risen by half.
4 Divide the dough into 16 pieces (each a little over 80g); shape into balls. Place the balls in a greased 23cm square cake pan (for a softer crust), or onto a greased baking tray, in four rows of four. Cover; stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen by half.
5 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
6 FLOUR PASTE Combine the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Gradually stir in the cold water until a smooth thick paste. Place Flour Paste into a small piping bag fitted with a small plain tube. Pipe crosses onto buns.
7 Bake buns for 25 minutes or until the buns are browned and sound hollow when tapped.
8 GLAZE Combine ingredients in a small saucepan; stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar and gelatine dissolve.
9 Transfer buns to a wire rack and brush tops with the Glaze. Cooked buns suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.