At Home With Theresa

Happy Easter! This year’s Easter is different from previous years in that we cannot go see and celebrate with family. The Coronavirus pandemic has truly changed our everyday lives and I believe when everything goes back to normal we will appreciate all that we have even more. This does not stop us from celebrating though. Although grocery runs and supplies are very limited, I still have everything needed to make Hot Cross Buns in my pantry!

So to celebrate Easter, I am sharing this easy, yummy recipe that I hope you’ll try one day! It is perfect for breakfast, or even an afternoon snack! Feel free to replace the sultanas and apricot jam with whatever you have on hand. I used orange marmalade this time as that is what I have in the fridge. Mixed dried fruits would also work instead of just sultanas or raisins. This recipe can be adapted to whatever you like or have, just like we are adapting to what is happening right now.

Stay safe! Happy Easter! 🐣🐇

HOT CROSS BUNS:

250 g whole milk

1 Tbsp dry active yeast

60 g light brown sugar

60 g butter

1 egg

500 g plain flour

1 pinch sea salt

1 tsp mixed spice (allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg)

150 g sultanas

FLOUR PASTE:

4 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp water

TO FINISH:

50 g apricot jam

Procedure:

Place the milk, yeast, and light brown sugar in the mixing bowl.

Warm 2 Min. / 37°C / Speed 2. Add the butter, egg, flour, mixed spice, salt, and sultanas. Knead 3 minutes

*If you don’t have a Thermomix, place the milk, yeast, and brown sugar into a large bowl. Stir at with a wooden spoon. Add the flour, butter, egg, mixed spice, sultanas nd salt (in this order!) and knead until smooth. This process might take up to 10 minutes. Continue with the recipe.

Leave to rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Then remove the dough and place on a floured surface.

Cut into 12 individual buns and shape them into balls. I weigh the dough and divide the number by 12, that way, they’re all about the same size. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper not too far apart if you want them to touch each other. Cover with a towel and leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size again.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400F.

Make the flour paste by mixing the flour and water in a bowl and stir until blended. Fill into a piping bag with a plain nozzle and pipe over the uncovered buns in a cross shape.

*you could also just use a plain sandwich bag, twist the top after filling and pushing paste on one corner. Snip a little off that corner and pipe onto dough.*

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan until runny. Using a brush, glaze the buns with the melted apricot jam immediately after removing from the oven.

Enjoy!