HOT CROSS BUNS

Sorry no photo yet as i will be making mine tomorrow.  This is a quick and delicious recipe which will fill your kitchen with wonderful spicy aromas.  Happy Easter!

makes 16

Buns
750 g (5 cups)	plain flour, sifted
55 g (¼ cup)	caster sugar
2 tsp (14 g)	dried yeast
1 tsp	allspice
½ tsp	cinnamon
250 g(1½ cups)	sultanas
100 g	candied orange peel, coarsely chopped
1	orange, finely grated rind only
300 ml	milk
100 g	unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
1	egg
Glaze
55 g (¼ cup)	caster sugar
¼ tsp	mixed spice

Method

	Combine 700 gm flour, sugar, yeast, spices, sultanas, orange peel and rind and 1 tsp sea salt in a bowl. Gently warm milk and butter over a low heat until butter melts and mixture is tepid. Add egg to milk mixture and whisk. Make a well in the centre of flour mixture, add milk mixture and stir. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Knock back dough and cut into 16 equal pieces. Knead each piece into a ball, place in a lightly greased 22cm-square cake pan, cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
	Preheat oven to 220C. Combine remaining flour and ¼ cup water and stir to a smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle. Pipe lines down each row to form crosses. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 200C and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden. (They’re ready when they sound hollow when tapped).
	For glaze, combine ingredients with ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Brush glaze over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.