Hot Cross Buns with California Raisins

Course: Snack Skill level: medium Makes 18 buns

237 ml (8¼ fl oz) milk

30 g (1 oz) butter or margarine, plus extra for greasing

1 packet active dry yeast

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) flour, plus extra for dusting

75 g (2¾ oz) sugar

1 tbs salt

1 tbs cinnamon

200 g (7 oz) California Raisins 100 g (3½ oz) mixed peel

2 eggs, well beaten

1 egg yolk, diluted with 1 tsp water

For the Lemon Topping:

150 g (5½ oz) icing sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp water

1 Grease a baking sheet.

2 Boil the milk in a saucepan, stir in the butter and cool to lukewarm.

3 Dissolve the yeast in 59 ml (2 fl oz) warm water (45 deg. C., 110 deg. F.).

4 Sift the flour with the sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in raisins and the peel until well coated. Stir in eggs and milk. Add the yeast and blend well to form a dough. Turn out on to a lightly floured

board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes.

5 Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.

6 When risen, turn out the dough and knock it back. Pinch off pieces, and form smooth, rounded balls about 4 cm (1½ in). Place balls of dough on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush with the diluted egg yolk. Snip a cross about 1 cm (½ in) deep in the centre of each bun with greased scissors.

7 Let the buns rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

8 Pre-heat oven to 200 deg. C., 400 deg. F., Gas Mark 6.

9 Bake the buns in the pre-heated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks for about 5 minutes.

10 To make the topping, combine icing sugar, lemon juice and water; beat until smooth. Drizzle icing on the crosses of the hot cross buns.