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I’m really into cooking at the moment. I don’t know what it is but I’m taking some more time to enjoy it. Given it’s Easter, I thought it was a prime opportunity to cook some Hot Cross Buns. I even put the crosses on them for effect, but unfortunately the only thing I’m religious about is eating them hot with Lurpak butter!

My friend SarahKate over at abercrombieandfeast.com would be proud.

After all that, I forgot to include the recipe. I got it here and it worked a treat. I’ve never cooked bread from scratch before so I was very happy with how they turned out, all the way down to the sticky glaze

Hot Cross Buns Recipe

from Taste.com.au
time 2 hours
yield 12

ingredients

4 cups plain flour
2 x 7g sachets yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups currants
40g butter
300ml milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain flour
4 to 5 tablespoons water
1/3 Cup water
2 tablespoons caster sugar

directions

1. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, mixed spice, salt and currants in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add milk. Heat for 1 minute, or until lukewarm. Add warm milk mixture and eggs to currant mixture.
3. Use a flat-bladed knife to mix until dough almost comes together. Use clean hands to finish mixing to form a soft dough.
4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until dough doubles in size.
5. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Punch dough down to its original size. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
6. Divide into 12 even portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place balls onto lined tray, about 1cm apart. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes, or until buns double in size.
7. Preheat oven to 190°C.
8. Make flour paste: Mix flour and water together in a small bowl until smooth, adding a little more water if paste is too thick. Spoon into a small snap-lock bag. Snip off 1 corner of bag. Pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until buns are cooked through.
9. Make glaze: Place water and sugar into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Brush warm glaze over warm hot cross buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

notes: • These buns are best eaten on the day they are made. Otherwise, freeze for up to 7 days. To defrost in microwave, place 1 hot cross bun onto a sheet of paper towel. Heat, uncovered, for 45 to 50 seconds on MEDIUM-LOW (DEFROST) (30%) power. Stand for 1 minute.

One other tip that I discovered when I made the Hot Cross Buns, particularly if it’s a little cooler in your house, is to put the oven on when you begin and set it to it’s lowest setting. You can then use the warmth of the oven to let it rise when proofing. Worked a treat!