Category: Baking, Recipes | Post by: Andrea Wong
Easter to me has always been about Easter eggs and hot cross buns. Growing up, we never really did the church thing much, although my parents sent me off to Sunday School so I could learn some of the meaning behind these holidays. So really for me, Easter is all about the food. And by food, I mean chocolate!
I like it when certain foods only come out at certain times of the year, especially hot cross buns for Easter and ANZAC biscuits for ANZAC Day, it makes these occasions feel special don't you think? I throw my hands up in horror (in my mind anyway), when I see hot cross buns available in the shops at the start of February. I just want hot cross buns for sale around Easter. They need to be kept special... please.
So that means that even though I can make hot cross buns at any time of the year, I would only make them at Easter. Actually, I made them for the first time this year but I've done several batches now and they are delicious. I figure, why spend $6 for a 6-pack of hot cross buns when you can make a batch of 20 for about $3!
Who remembers this nursery rhyme? You can sing it while you bring your delicious hot cross buns out of the oven!
Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons.
One a penny two a penny, hot cross buns!
Try this easy recipe, I've added a bit of chocolate because it is Easter after all.
Chocolatey hot cross buns
Makes 18-20 buns
Ingredients
For the buns
290 ml room temperature water
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp rice bran or canola oil
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
525g flour (13% protein content, minimum. I use High Grade flour)
3 Tbsp milk powder
2 1/2 tsp breadmakers' yeast (yeast with bread improver)
1 Tbsp mixed spice
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
At the beep
100g sultanas
100g chocolate, chopped or chips
For the cross
1/4c flour
water
For the glaze
1/2c icing sugar
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp water (approx)
Directions
- Put the ingredients for the buns into your breadmaker, in the exact order as stated. Set your breadmaker to its dough setting
- My breadmaker beeps 5 mins before it finishes kneading, so I can add some extras. Add the sultanas and chocolate at this stage
- Once the dough has finished kneading, turn it out onto a lightly floured board
- Cut the dough in half and form a thick sausage with the first half
- Cut the dough into approx 2cm slices. I weigh each one and make them between 55-60g each
- Roll the bun quickly in your hands to make them round and place on a greased or lined baking tray
- Repeat until done and do the same with the other half of the dough (you should have 18-20 buns)
- Cover with GladWrap and leave in a warm place until they have doubled in size
- Mix the flour with enough water, to form a thick but runny batter. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe crosses onto the buns
- Bake for 15 minutes in an oven heated to 190ºC
- Once baked, place on a cooling rack and mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl and brush over the hot cross buns with a pastry brush.
Serve warm or toasted with lots of butter.
Happy Easter everyone!