Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients:
¾ cup warm rice milk
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbs yeast
½ cup cold rice milk
50 grams melted Nuttelex
1/3 cup apple sauce
3 ½ cups plain flour
200g mixed dried fruit (I used 150g sultanas & 50g currants)
1/3 cup caster sugar
2-3 tsp mixed spice
Pinch of salt
Cross:
½ cup plain flour
Enough water to make a thick paste
Glaze:
2 tbs caster sugar
½ cup water
Method:
- Line a rectangle or square cake tin (or tray) with baking paper and set aside.
- In a jug, whisk together the warm rice milk, caster sugar and the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes to froth and expand.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cold rice milk, melted Nuttelex and the apple sauce. Set aside.
- In another larger bowl, mix together the plain flour, dried fruit, sugar, mixed spice and the salt.
- Once the yeast mixture is all frothy, add the milk, Nuttelex, apple sauce mix to the jug and whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the jug of yeast mixture to it. Start the mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula, then finish bringing the dough together with your hands.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth.
- Once kneaded, return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1-1 ½ hours to prove. (It should almost double in size)
- After the initial proving, re-knead the dough for another couple of minutes, on a floured surface.
- Shape into even size portions (I made 14 decent size buns) and place into the prepared tin, side by side with the edges of the buns touching.
- Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes for the second proving, where they will again almost double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
For the cross:
- Mix the plain flour with enough water to create a fairly thick paste.
- Place the flour paste in a piping bag or a zip lock bag ready for decorating. Set aside.
For the glaze:
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and caster sugar.
- Heat the mixture to a simmer so the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat.
- Once the buns have finished their second prove, its time to decorate.
- Trim a small corner off the piping bag or zip lock bag. (which you have already filled!)
- Pipe a cross on each of the buns
- Place the buns in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- After the initial ten minutes, turn the oven temp down to 160 degrees, and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the buns from the oven and while hot, brush the buns with the sugar glaze.
- Lift the baking paper out the tin and your buns are ready to serve!