15 steps to a more successful Easter.

Not sure if everyone remembers my hot cross buns or should I say hot cross rock cakes from last year...

But this year I had much more success... yes a little early but with all these delicious smells in bakery's I couldn't help myself. I used a different recipe and they turned out 100 times better.

And don't they look delicious and fluffy?

The recipe I used was based on one from taste.com.au but changed it slightly as not sure if you know but the one thing I HATE is sultanas... so I used craisins instead which did make the buns not as sweet and less spicy but my alterations have fixed this.

Cranberry Hot Cross Buns

1 1/2 cups of warm (body temp) milk

2 tsp (7g) dried yeast

1/4 cup caster sugar (plus extra one tbs of caster sugar)

60g melted butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

4 1/2 cups of strong bakers flour (plus extra for kneading)

1 tsp salt

4 tsp mixed spice

1 cup of dried cranberries

1/3 cup cold water

1/2 cup apricot jam

1. Combine milk, yeast and the one tbs of caster sugar in a bowl and then set the bowl in another bowl which is filled with warm water (hotter then the milk). This helps active the yeast.
2. Put flour (only 4 cups), salt, mixed spice and sugar in a bowl and add your dried cranberries. Stir to combine.
3. Once the yeast has started to bubbly or change appearance in the milk add the melted butter (not piping hot) and egg and whisk to combine. 
4. Make a well in your flour mixture and pour in milk mixture stirring to combine.
5. Bring together with your hands and turn out onto a dusted surface and knead for 10-15min.
6. Keep warm for 1 hour in a floured bowl covered with a tea towel. Using the same method as in step 1 by placing the bowl with the dough in it in another bowl with warm water in it.
7. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius and grease a 23cm cake tin.
8. Punch dough down and knead for 2-3 min.
9. Divide into 16 pieces and shape into balls.
10. Arrange dough in the cake tin side by side and then set aside for half an hour to rise again.
11. Mix the 1/2 cup of flour and water together to form a paste and pipe down the centre of each row and back the other way to make crosses on each bun.
12. Bake in the oven for 10min then reduce the heat to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for a further 20min. The buns will sound hollow when they are done.
13. Turn out on a cooling rack.
14. Place jam in a saucepan until it melts (approx. 2min). Strain and brush over hot buns.
15. Serve warm with butter or toasted.

Serves 16