HOT CROSS BUNS

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!

Originally a vendor’s street cry, the English ditty eventually became a nursery rhyme that taught countless children a sense of rhythm. Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten to mark the end of Lent. For a nostalgic taste of childhood, this recipe makes an even dozen.

FOR THE CROSSES:

75g plain flour

70g water

TO GLAZE AFTER BAKING:

2 tablespoons golden syrup

4 tablespoons water

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, spices and zests. Add the butter, egg yolks, and warm milk and mix until well combined.

Knead the dough either by hand or in the mixer using a hook attachment, for ten minutes.

2. Add the sultanas and knead them in by hand. Cover the dough and let it rest for 2-3 hours, until it doubles in size. Knock back the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

3. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Place them on a lined baking tray, slightly apart, cover the tray and let the buns prove for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the paste for the crosses, just by mixing the flour and water together until smooth, and place the mixture in a piping bag.

4. When the buns have proved, preheat the oven to 190°C and pipe the bun tops with crosses and bake them in a preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. Prepare the golden syrup glaze by mixing the ingredients together. Brush the warm buns with the glaze when they’re just out of the oven.