Although my sister Eloise stated “you can eat a Hot cross bun whenever”. True, but in all it’s Easter Tradition I make Hot Cross Buns and usually hand them out freshly baked.
Now if you are not that crazy with fruit or currants
etc in your Hot Cross Buns then don’t worry just omit them and add your
favourite chocolate chips. Yum!!!
The below recipe is also great for lovers of DAIRY FREE recipes .
HOT CROSS BUN or as my nephew Remy calls them "HOT BOT BUN" (Remy pictured above enjoying a Hot Cross Bun).
Ingredients
•1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk (Dairy free use Rice Milk as I find it works better).
•2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
•1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
•60g butter, melted (Nuttelex dairy free spread)
•1 egg, lightly whisked
•4 1/2 cups (675g) plain flour
•1 tsp salt
•3 tsp mixed spice / cinnamon
•1/4 cup (45g) currants
•1/3 cup (80ml) cold water
•1/2 cup (170g) apricot jam
Method
1.Combine the milk, yeast and 1 tbs of sugar in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2.Combine the milk mixture, butter and egg in a jug and whisk to combine. Combine 4 cups (600g) of flour, salt, mixed spice and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add the sultanas, currants and mixed peel and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together.
3.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
4.Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a baking tray . Punch the dough down with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange dough portions, side by side, in the prepared pan. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 2cm.
5.Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns, lengthways and widthways, to form crosses. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through (buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on the base).
6.Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until jam melts. Strain through a fine sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. Serve warm with butter, or toasted.
•1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk (Dairy free use Rice Milk as I find it works better).
•2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
•1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
•60g butter, melted (Nuttelex dairy free spread)
•1 egg, lightly whisked
•4 1/2 cups (675g) plain flour
•1 tsp salt
•3 tsp mixed spice / cinnamon
•1/4 cup (45g) currants
•1/3 cup (80ml) cold water
•1/2 cup (170g) apricot jam
Method
1.Combine the milk, yeast and 1 tbs of sugar in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2.Combine the milk mixture, butter and egg in a jug and whisk to combine. Combine 4 cups (600g) of flour, salt, mixed spice and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add the sultanas, currants and mixed peel and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together.
3.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
4.Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a baking tray . Punch the dough down with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange dough portions, side by side, in the prepared pan. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 2cm.
5.Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns, lengthways and widthways, to form crosses. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through (buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on the base).
6.Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until jam melts. Strain through a fine sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. Serve warm with butter, or toasted.
Well Daylight savings has well and truly ended and I am happy that the sun will be up at 6:30am and with these cold chilly mornings come cold chilly nights. But there is a bonus to that as well as there is nothing better on a chilly night than something warm and delicious to eat. In saying this I went around to my good friend Michelle’s house and she was cooking up a storm. (Michelle pictured above).
Now most people hate cooking for me it is mainly due to the
fact that I am a chef; but honestly I love it. I love the passion when someone
cooks for me and above anything else the story behind the meal.
Michelle made me Stuffed Zucchini's which had rice and meat inside and was delicious. The thing I love about eating home cooking is I love where the recipe oringates from and the pleasure it brings to the cook making it. But above all of that I love the taste.
Michelle use white rice and added several herbs tomato paste to a serving of cooking mince meat with onions . Michelle then goes about stuffing each Zucchini with the filling after she had carefully removed the inside from each.
Each juicy zucchini is plugged up with a tomato so the filling doesn't leak out (which I thought was genius) then immersed in a large pot with water and tomato paste and they are ready when the rice is cooked.
Michelle brought me over a bowl and what I loved was the liquid that the zucchini had been cooking in turned into a thickish sort of soup ...absolutely delicious. Thank you Michelle it was absolutely delicious!!!.
(Full recipe to come)
If you follow me on Facebook Laughingchefcookeryschool then you will know I have been wanting Madagascar Vanilla Paste at $36 for a 118ml glass bottle for a while now.
Well on Thursday I went to pick up my sister Natalie from work and she said "I have a pressie for you"! I replied in a high pitch voice , "What is it?"... It turned out my little Sis follows me on facebook (of course) and knew about my love for the Vanilla paste and went out and brought it for me. I am so excited to use this, for those that are not aware Madagascar is one of many forms of the Vanilla Bean Family and when cooking with it you experience the true taste of the Vanilla Bean. Thanks Nat cannot wait to make, Biscotti, Ricotta and Lemon cakes and my favourite Italian Fluffy Meringue.
Also thank you to my beautiful Nephew Addison who is 4 years of age who said "Renee I have a surprise for you"! He then produced this Lego Chef below which I am in love. with .. it is the little things in life that make you smile.
My girlfriend Daniela went to Perth for a weddding last weekend and she took some pics of the scenery and one just reminded me of my childhood as I have a love for Ferris Wheels (and Fairy Floss).
Next blog I will be putting up some Hearty dishes to cook which are super easy as well as some really easy bread recipe (do not fear yeast it is your friend), and a cinnamon and Blueberry scroll recipe.
Have a safe and Happy Easter or Buona Pasqua a Tutti.
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