hot cross buns

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.