Traditional Hot Cross Buns

Preparation 25 Minutes

Cook 1 hr 50 min Minutes

Serves 12

Method

Place your flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon and salt in your mixing bowl and briefly mix until combined. 

Add in your melted butter, warm milk, eggs and raisins. 

Mix with your dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until a dough ball is formed and is coming away from the sides of the bowl. 

Leave the dough covered with clingfilm in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until doubles in size. 

Knock the air out of the dough and roll it into a log before cutting it into 12 even pieces. 

Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place into a grease proof paper linen baking tray (approx. 30cm x 20cm) in a 3 bun by 4 bun pattern.  

Cover balls of dough with cling film again and let rise for approximately 40 minutes or until it has risen to about 70% of its original size. 

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees after leaving it to rest. 

Right before placing it into the oven make your cross mixture by mixing your flour and water until a thickish paste forms. Using a ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag, pipe your crosses down the center of each bun horizontally and then vertically. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until nice and golden brown. 

Meanwhile, place jam and water in a bowl and microwave for approx. 30 seconds until melted and combines. 

Once buns are fresh out the over, brush your glaze over each one to give them a beautiful glossy finish. 

Ingredients

9g dry yeast

110g caster sugar

375g warm milk

640g bread flour

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

1 tbsp all spice

½ tsp salt

220g Sunbeam Australian Currants

50g unsalted butter, melted

1 whole egg

For the cross:

75g plain flour

5 tbsp of water

For the glaze:

2 tbsp apricot jam (or your jam of preference)

2 tbsp water

Recipe Collection

Cherry Ripe Slice

Line 27 x 18cm slice tray with baking paper, leaving 2cm of paper above edge to make removal of slice easier. Put biscuits in a bag and crush well. Combine biscuits and butter and press into base of prepared tray. Refrigerate for 20min till firm.

Combine coconut and icing sugar mixture in a bowl. Put white chocolate extra butter and cream in a small pan and cook gently over low heat. Stir frequently until chocolate has melted. Stir in food colouring.

Gently stir white chocolate mixture into coconut mixture, add cherries spread firmly on biscuit base, chill for 30min or until firm. Spread dark over the slice, refrigerate until firm, cut into squares to serve.

Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 4 cup capacity baking dish.
  2. Combine flour, almond meal, sugar and cocoa in a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs and milk. Add to the dry ingredients with the raisins and mix well. Spoon into baking dish.
  4. For the sauce, combine the water, sugar and cocoa. Pour over the batter in the baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes until cake is cooked. Serve warm with ice-cream, cream or custard.

Ricotta & Walnut Tagliatelle

  1. Place pasta into a large saucepan of boiling water and cook to pack directions, or until al dente. Drain.

  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan. Add walnuts and sunflower seeds, tossing regularly until toasted. Add garlic, chilli and lemon rind cooking a further minute.

  3. Add cooked drained pasta to the fryingpan with the ricotta, rocket, vinegar, lemon juice and some additional oil. Season and toss well.

Gingerbread Decorations

  1. Place butter, sugar and golden syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined.

  2. Gently fold in the flour, almond meal and spices until a dough has formed. Shape into a flattened ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  3. Pre-heat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to 5mm thickness. Using star and round shaped cutters, cut shapes and transfer to lined oven trays. Using a small piping nozzle, cut a hole in the top of each shape prior to baking. Re-roll the dough offcuts until all has been used.

  4. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  5. Once cool, decorate the biscuits with icing and currants. Thread lengths of ribbon through the holes and tie. Decorate your Christmas tree or give as gifts.

Alternative option: Prior to baking, press flaked almonds or slivered almonds into the dough and bake. Once cooked and cool, dust with icing sugar.

Spiced Nuts & Seeds

  1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Combine nuts and seeds in a large bowl with salt and spices.
  2. Combine oil and maple syrup and tip over nut mixture. Toss well.
  3. Spread onto a lined oven tray and bake for 12 minutes, tossing occasionally until toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Fruit & Nut Log Salami

In a dry pan on medium heat gently toast the slithered almonds till slightly brown, then set aside to cool.

Place the finely chopped dates and apricots pistachios, ginger & biscuits in a bowl.

Add the almonds, currants, cranberries Blend until well mixed, add melted chocolate & condensed milk and stir till combined.

Turn out onto cling film. Roll and shape into a log. Chill for at least 4 hours.

To decorate tie with bakers string roll in powdered sugar and wrap in baking paper.

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