Hot Cross Buns

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons dried yeast
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 75 g butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon mixed spice
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mixed fruit or 1 cup currants
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon water

Recipe

• 1 bring the above ingredients to the boil.
• 2 place all of the above ingredients into the bread machine, accurately measured and in the order as i have listed them in.
• 3 select the'raisin' dough cycle (adding the mixed fruit/currants when the machine sounds the'beep' tone).
• 4 when the dough cycle is complete, divide the dough evenly into 4- and then into 4 again.
• 5 shape each of the 8 pieces into a round ball (using your thumb and forefinger form a ring shape and push each piece of dough through the'ring'- the dough on the top of the ball/bun will now be stretched, and pinch the edges together underneath!).
• 6 arrange the buns in a lightly greased baking pan or roasting pan- and leave about 1 cm between each bun.
• 7 cover and leave in a warm place until they have doubled in size.
• 8 bake at 225'c for 10-12 minutes (or until lightly browned).
• 9 brush with glaze while the buns are still hot.
• 10 note: to make the crosses, rub 60g cold butter into 1 cup of flour, then add about 3 tablespoons of cold water to form a stiff dough.
• 11 roll the dough out very thinly and cut into strips.
• 12 brush with beaten egg and place carefully on the risen buns (egg side down), before baking them in the oven!