Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter! Who'll make the best orange and cranberry hot cross buns?

EASY ORANGE AND CRANBERRY HOT CROSS BUNS

INGREDIENTS

For the buns

Zest of 1 Orange, juice ½ Orange

50g dried cranberries

125ml milk

25g butter, cubed

1 large egg

250g strong white bread flour

0.5 tbsp fast action yeast

1 tsp mixed spice

50g caster sugar

A little oil to

For the icing

37g plain flour

Juice of ½ orange

2.5 tbsp apricot jam

METHOD

STEP 1

Put the orange peel in a bowl and set to the side. Pour the juice into another bowl, add 30ml of boiling water and the dried cranberries, let them soak.

STEP 2

Then, pour the milk into a saucepan, add the butter and heat over low heat and stir occasionally until the butter has melted. Turn off the heat and beat the egg in by hand.

STEP 3

Mix the bread flour, yeast, 0.5 tsp salt, spice and sugar in a large bowl. Make a dip in the flour and pour in the milk mixture.

STEP 4

Rinse the water out of the cranberry bowl using a sieve, and add the fruit to the orange peel bowl. Then, mix this into the dough bowl with a wooden spoon until it all comes together - it shouldn't be sticky.

STEP 5

Pour the dough onto the counter (make sure the flour has a little flour first), knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Grease a bowl with a little oil, then place the dough in the bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm place for 1 hour for the dough to rise.

STEP 6

Once the dough has doubled in size, pour out on the counter again, (flour needed on the counter again). Beat the dough and knead for 1 minute, this will pull the air out and give you nice buns.

STEP 7

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, roll into balls and place on baking paper on a baking tray. Place the tray in a plastic bag and leave to rise for another 1 hour.

STEP 8

Preheat the oven to 220C / 200 fan / gas 7. Mix the plain flour and 2.5 tbsp water in a bowl until it's sticky. Using a spoon, place the mixture in a piping bag with a very small hole on the end. Pipe a cross (or any shape you like) on each bun. Place the buns in the oven for 20-22 minutes until browned on top.

STEP 9

While the buns are baking, apply the glaze. Pour the orange juice into a saucepan and mix in the jam. Let it start to boil over low heat, then simmer for 3-5 minutes - it's important to keep an eye on this all the time and stir it so it doesn't stick to the pan. Once the buns have cooled, paint the polish on them. Let them cool before eating - with butter of course!