Ola Foodies!
We are going into the time of Spice, Hot Cross Buns, Roasted Lamb and Chocolate…..Easter is on the horizon, and with that in mind, we sure need a fluffy, light, squishy Hot Cross Bun Wonder. Are you ready? Get’em aprons on y’all! This recipe is my Hot Cross Bun’s Base-Camp. I share this recipe with a happy heart – it has been my go-to Hot Cross Bun (reliable) recipe since the dawn of the Millennium! Either eat this delightful little morsel as is, or, Zoosh it up with the following:
Hot Cross Bun Version 1: 120ml of Finley Chopped Dried Fruit in the BellA-BellA way:
30 ml Dried Apple Rings (I use Pink Lady Apple Rings)
30 ml Dried Soft Turkish Apricots
30 ml Soft Dried Figs
30 ml Soft Mejool Dates
(I don’t do raisins in any format – I suffer from “SEAAR” (Strong Emotional Allergy Against Raisins) 😉
Or try this decadent version of Caramel and Chocolate:
Hot Cross Bun Version 2: As a Dessert Option or to use in a Bread-and-Butter Pudding:
30 ml Dark Chocolate Chips or Chunks
30 ml Caramel Chocolate Chips or Soft Toffee
30 ml White Chocolate Chips
30 ml Mini Marshmallows
Glaze with a Toffee Sauce (Melted Milk & Toffee) when baked instead of the Milk Glaze.
Hot Cross Bun Version 3: Nuts about Nuts – Chopped Finely
30ml Chopped Almonds
30 ml Chopped Brazils
30ml Chopped Macadamias
30 ml Cashews
Ingredients:
“Atilla the Bun”
Leavener Mix: (Means “To Liven” in Greek!)
1.5 packets of Instant Yeast (10.5g)
125 ml Lukewarm Water
130 ml Sugar
Dry Ingredients:
250 g Stone Ground Cake Flour
250 g Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour (For Nuttiness…Mmmmm!)
5.5 ml Salt
Spice Jam:
10ml Cinnamon, Ground
5ml Ginger, Ground
5 ml Mixed Spice, Ground
3 ml Nutmeg, Ground
3 ml Cardamom, Fine
Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Wet Ingredients:
150 ml Full Cream Milk (or Nut Milk /Coconut Milk), Warmed
60 g Butter, Melted (4.5 Tbsp)
1 Extra-Large Free-Range Egg, Beaten
*Flavour Agent Blend Base (Or Try Version 1,2 or 3!)
Zest of a Fat Lemon
Zest of an Orange, Tangerine or Clementine
120 ml Ground Almonds (or any type of Nut / Seed)
For the Cross:
100 g Cake Flour
50 ml Sunflower Oil
125 ml Milk
1 Extra-Large Free-Range Egg, Beaten
½ t Salt
For the Glaze:
50 ml Milk
150 ml Light Brown Sugar
50 ml Water
Instructions:
1. Leavener Mix: Whisk the Warm Water, Sugar and Yeast. Cover with Clingfilm and let it sit for 5 minutes under tea towel.
2. Dry Ingredients: Sift the Ingredients then add the Zest and Spice. Transfer to a mixer or use some ‘elbow grease’ to mix the dough by hand.
3. Wet Ingredients: Combine the Warmed Milk, Melted Butter and Beaten Egg. Add to the Dry Ingredients.
4. Add the Leavener Mix which should be foaming by now.
5. Beat with a Dough Attachment for 5 minutes or combine with a Wooden Spoon, then knead by hand for 10 minutes.
6. Oil your hands lightly, then shape the dough into a ball. Clingfilm and cover with a Tea Towel for 1hour or until it doubled in size.
7. Knock back the dough, divide and shape into 10 medium or 12 small sized balls. Cover and proove for approximately 30 minutes. Switch on the oven to 180◦C.
8. Cross Ingredients: Whisk the ingredients into a smooth paste. Add food colouring should you prefer to, or leave the mix as is. Pipe the crosses onto the prooved buns or use a teaspoon and drizzle over the crosses.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes (15 for a hot oven like mine!).
10. Glaze Ingredients: Combine the Glaze Goodies and boil for 5 minutes until sticky. Set aside. Brush Each bun lavishly with the Milk Glaze. Rest and Repeat. Tuck in and enjoy with a spot of tea!.
