Yael Shochat’s hot cross buns

MAKES 24 This recipe calls for pre-ground spices, but Yael says you’ll get a much better flavour if you can grind the whole spices yourself.

20 gm dried yeast

500 ml (2 cups) milk, warmed to 37°C

175 gm honey, room temperature

850 gm strong bread flour

1 tsp freshly ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp freshly ground cloves

200 gm currants

125 gm mixed peel

175 gm unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature

PASTRY CREAM 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped 500 ml (2 cups) milk 60 gm cornflour 90 gm caster sugar 3 eggs 50 gm unsalted butter, at room temperature

SYRUP 150 gm (¾ cup) caster sugar

1 Combine yeast, milk and 1 tablespoon honey in a jug and set aside until frothy (10 minutes).

2 For dough, place flour, spices and a pinch of salt with the dried fruit and remaining honey in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed and gradually add the yeast mixture followed by the butter and mix until a soft, sticky dough has formed. Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 3 Meanwhile, for pastry cream, place vanilla bean and seeds and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, place cornflour, sugar, eggs and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and whisk to a paste.

Strain milk into paste and discard solids, then whisk until combined. Return pastry cream mixture to pan over low-medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously, until thickened (8 minutes). Be careful not to boil otherwise lumps will form. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and mix in butter. Cover with a cartouche and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, transfer to a pipping bag fitted with a 5mm nozzle. Set aside until ready to use.

4 For syrup, place sugar and 125ml

(1/2 cup) water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves (1 minute). Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

5 Preheat oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Grease two large oven trays and line with baking paper. Lightly flour a work surface. Divide dough into 24 equal portions (approximately 85gm each), then roll into balls using your hands. Place 12 buns side-by-side on each tray, then stand in a warm place for a further 30 minutes or until double in size.

6 Using the tip of a very sharp knife, score a cross on the buns about 5mm deep. Bake buns for 15 minutes, until pale golden on top. Remove from oven and quickly pipe pastry cream into scored crosses on buns. Return tray to oven and bake until buns and pastry cream are golden brown and spring back when touched (10 minutes). Stand buns for 5 minutes before brushing with syrup. Eat warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted with butter.

Note Add as much pastry cream for your crosses as desired.