Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:

300ml milk
50g butter
500g flour
10 ml salt
85g sugar
10g dried yeast
125g raisins/saltanas/mixed fruit
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
10 ml ground cinnamon
5ml ground ginger
5ml mixed spice
For the x:
120ml flour, mixed with enough water to form a pipable paste
For the glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 vanilla pod
Juice of half a lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
2 all spice

Method:

Place the milk and butter in a small saucepan and bring it to the boil, allowing the butter to melt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until Luke warm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, raisins and lemon zest.

Make a well in the center off the dry ingredients, and add the egg and milk mixture. Stir well to until well mixed.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and set aside in a warm place to prove until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Knock back the dough and divide into 12 equal portions. Roll into buns, and once again allow to prove until doubled in bulk.

Alternatively- roll balls and pack them into a baking dish, before proving for the second time.

Pour the x mixture into a piping bag and pipe x's onto your buns. Bake at 180 for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and make a hollow sound when tapped.

For the glaze, bring the sugar, water, vanilla, lemon juice and spices to the boil. Remove from the heat and use to glaze hot, hot cross buns

Chocolate Marshmallow Easter Eggs

 

MAKES 12 CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS!!!

Ingredients:

Flour to make moulds

3 leaves of gelatine, soaked in cold water (15ml powdered gelatine)

1 cup Sugar

¼ cup water

½ liquid glucose/corn syrup

Vanilla paste

300g milk chocolate

50g white chocolate

Glitter, Icing Flowers, 100’s and 1000’s to decorate

 

Method:

Place the flour in 2 baking trays and press and egg half way into it to form an impression.

Combine the sugar, water and glucose in a saucepan and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, cook until the temperature reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer.

Pour the syrup into the mixing bowl of an electric mixture, and begin beating on high speed.

Add the gelatine bit by bit until it is all incorporated, continue beating until the mixture is thick and creamy and has cooled down to luke warm.

Beat in the vanilla and a little food colouring if desired(I made mine pink).

Gently spoon the mixture into the egg shaped depressions and allow to set in the refridgerator for 3-4 hours.

Melt the 300g chocolate in a baine marie.

Dust any excess flour off the marshmallow and dip the eggs into the chocolate, placing them on a banking paper lined tray to set.

When the chocolate has set, you can eat them as they are, or decorate them with the white chocolate, glitters, flowers and 100’2 and 1000’s

HAPPY EASTER.