Guess what our house smells like this afternoon?
Last year each batch of hot cross buns I made in the bread maker spent about four hours. With my Thermomix I can make a dozen in about an hour.
I figured that if supermarkets can stock these weeks away from Easter then why can't I? Obviously these aren't strictly hot cross buns.
INGREDIENTS
Zest of half lime/lemon (optional)
250 g full cream milk
1 tblspn dried instant yeast or 40 g fresh yeast
500g baker's flour
2 tsp sea salt
70 g butter
50 g caster sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
100g sultanas
70 g currants
PIPING
80g plain flour
pinch sea salt
1 tsp olive oil
100g water
SYRUP
2 tblspn water
2 tblspn sugar
METHOD
Buns
Place lemon or lime zest (if using) into mixing bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 9. Set aside
Place milk and yeast into mixing bowl and heat 1 Min/37°c/speed 1.
Add flour, salt, butter, sugar, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and mix 6 sec/speed 7, then knead 2 - 3 min//
.
Add sultanas, currants and reserved zest (if using) and combine 10 sec//speed 5.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
Transfer dough onto ThermoMat or a lightly floured bench lop and work into a ball.
Wrap in the ThermoMat, or place into a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave in a warm place to prove for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Knock down dough and divide into 12 equal-sized portions. Form into rolls and place close together onto a prepared baking tray. Set aside to prove again whilst you prepare the piping.
Piping
Place all piping ingredients into mixing bowl and mix 30 sec/speed 4.
Pour into piping bag and pipe out crosses onto the top of buns.
Place baking tray into oven and bake 10 - 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Syrup
Place water and sugar into mixing bowl and cook 2 min/IOO°c/speed 4. Brush buns with hot sugar syrup while still warm.
