South African Style Hot Cross Buns

Cooking time less than 2 hours

Main ingredients

• 1.49 pounds flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 grating nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 5.5 tablespoons mixed peel
• 2 ounces seedless raisins
• 1.5 teaspoons yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 3.5 ounces soft butter
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten

Crosses

• 1/2 cup organic flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 ml baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

Glaze

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup boiling water

Makes 16 buns

• Mix all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir through peel and raisins.
• Mix wet ingredients and yeast in a jug and whisk to combine.
• Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and add milk mixture.
• Mix well to form a soft dough.
• Tip dough on a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until soft and elastic. Set aside to rise until doubled in size.
• Knock dough back and divide into 16 small balls.
• Place balls on a greased baking tray slightly apart (about an inch).
• Set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Crosses:

• Mix flour, butter and baking powder with enough water to make a slightly runny paste.
• Spoon paste into a piping bag (or Ziploc bag with the tip snipped off).
• Pipe thin crosses on buns.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
• Mix glaze ingredients together and brush hot buns with glaze.
• Leave in a switched off oven, that’s still warm, for 5 minutes to set glaze.
• Remove and cool on a wire rack.