HOT CROSS BUNS/TEA CAKES
Oven temp Gas 7, Electric 220 C, Fan 200 C
Equipment
- Baking tray, may need 2, greased and floured
- mixing bowl
- sieve
- small bowl
- jug
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb Strong Plain Flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- 2 oz Caster Sugar (50g)
- 1 oz butter (25g)
- 1 oz fresh yeast + ½tsp sugar (25g)
- 6 oz mixed fruit including cranberries (150g)
- 1 zest of 1 lemon or orange
CROSS
- 1 tbsp water and flour mixed to a paste plastic bag, cut off end and use to pipe cross on the baked bun
GLAZE
- honey/lemon curd or
- 1 tbsp caster sugar melted in 2 tbsp warm water or milk
Instructions
- Place yeast and sugar in a small bowl or jug.
- Add 5 fl oz (¼ pint) LUKE warm water.
- Mix and leave to froth
- Sieve flour and salt into a bowl.
- Rub in butter.
- Mix in sugar, spices, lemon zest and mixed fruit
- Make a ‘well’ in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture.
- Mix, using a wooden spoon, add more warm water if needed to make a soft, not sticky dough.
- Beat with wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.
- Cover with cling film/tea towel and leave to double in size.
- Knead lightly until smooth (a good 5 mins or more, take care not to add too much flour)
- Divide into rolls about 3 oz each in weight
- Knead each roll and shape with palms
- Cover and leave to rise
- Bake 10-15 mins, tap to check if ready
- Mix flour and water, pipe over cross
- Glaze
To Make Into A Loaf
- Grease and flour tin
- Divide dough into 3, knead each portion then place in tin. Leave to rise
- Bake for about 20 – 30 mins, depending on size of loaf
- Tip out of tin, tap on base, should sound hollow
- Glaze