HOT CROSS BUNS

5 Cups plain flour (I used half bread flour half all purpose)
1/4 cup Castor Sugar
2 teaspoons dried Yeast
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 3/4 cups dried fruit (can be varied to taste)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 lightly beaten egg
good pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (or use milk powder and warm water)

CROSSES
1/4 CUP Self Raising (optional plain) flour
enough water to make into a smooth thick paste

GLAZE
1/4 Cup Castor Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 teaspoon mixed spice

Take from ingredients yeast, 1 tspn sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and about 1/4 cup warm water, mix all together and put aside to make a sponge. Some dont bother with this but its a habbit I always do after having a yeast that didnt rise.

In a large bowl put flour, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, mixed fruit.

Add to this lightly beaten egg, warmed milk and warm melted butter and yeast sponge.

Turn out and knead for 10 minutes until smooth, placed in oiled bowl cover and leave to rise till doubled (I left mine for two hours but it might take less).

Grease camp oven and I line mine with baking paper.

Knock it back and divide into 16 pieces. Knead each piece and arrange in Camp Oven (I used a 12" but a 14" would give more space). Put in a warm place to again double.

Put the beads on to heat up I used 28 all up. Once the beads had turned white I put them on the Camp Oven lid to start it heating. (This took about the same time as the doubling of the rolls (about 45 minutes).

Mix the flour and water to make a stiff paste for the crosses. I used a cliplock bag with a very small end sniped off to do this. I also used Self Raising flour but some use plain its up to you.

I put 8 of the beads for the underneath and spread the 20 around the rim of the oven. I turned every ten minutes and found they were cooked at 30 minutes. They should be golden brown and sound hollow if tapped. The offical temperature is 200C if you feel the need to use a temperature gauge.

Take them away from heat and for the glaze combine sugar, spice and water in a saucepan stirring till the sugar disolves and then simmer for about two minutes. Brush it over the hot buns then cool them on a wire rack.

Nice!!! They look really light. Good stuff Carolyn

Cheers
Jono

Saltbush Bill wrote on Feb 14^th, 2010 at 6:44pm:




They sure do look good Carolyn, very flash!!


Skip

Top stuff Carolyn and good presentation as well. I am just get over Christmas and and the supermarkets are full of Easter gear.
Muzz

Carolyn
Where did you score the pastry sheet?
Muzz