Hot Cross Buns

I have never tried to make Hot Cross Bun's before as they always seemed like a lot of hard work. This year however, I had a baking fest this week.

These buns are from Feast by Nigella. They take 2 days in total as you need to let the dough prove so make the dough the day before you want to bake them.

For the dough you will need ;

150ml milk, 50g butter, zest of one orange, 1 clove, 2 cardamom pods,

400g strong white flour, 1 packet of easy blend yeast (7g)

125g mixed dried fruit, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,

one half teaspoon ground nutmeg, one half teaspoon ground ginger

1 egg

heat the milk, butter, orange zest, clove and cardamom pods in a saucepan until the butter melts, then leave to infuse.

Measure the flour, yeast and dried fruit into a bowl and add the spices. When the infused milk has reached blood temperature, take out the clove and cardamom pods and beat in the egg.

Pour this liquid into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Knead the dough either by hand or with a machine and keep kneading until you have a silky elastic dough. Form a ball and place in a buttered bowl and cover in cling film and place in the fridge overnight to prove.

It will have doubled in size.

Punch the air out of the dough and knead it again until smooth. Divide into 16 small balls and shape into smooth round buns. Sit the buns on to a lined baking dish and score a cross into the buns with the back of a knife. Cover with a clean tea towel. Leave for about 45 mins in a warm place to prove again.

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Brush the buns with an egg wash (beat an egg with a little milk). To make the crosses for the buns mix;

3 table spoons plain flour, 2 tablespoons water, half tablespoon caster sugar

to form a thick paste. Drizzle the paste over the buns where the scored cross is.

Bake in the hot oven for 15-20 mins.

When the buns come out of the oven, mix one tablespoon of caster sugar and one tablespoon of boiling water and brush onto the hot buns to form a shiny glaze.

Enjoy hot from the oven with some melted butter and some jam. Otherwise, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To serve, heat gently in a medium oven for 5 mins and have as a mid morning snack, or mid afternoon, or even midnight snack!

You will be amazed at the subtlety of the cardamom and orange. yum!!!

Orls xx