Happy Easter!

Our first easter living away from home was full of love :)
We welcomed easter morning with a bacon and egg breakfast at home in our pyjamas before heading out to visit our families. The day before I had had my first shot of making my own hot cross buns, they're a favourite of mine and turned out quite nice! We took them to share with our families and were greeted with way too much chocolate and plenty of other delicious treats.


Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk
2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
60g butter, melted
1 egg, lightly whisked
4 1/2 cups (675g) plain 00 flour
1 tsp salt
5 tsp mixed spice
1 cup (170g) sultanas
1/4 cup (45g) currants
1/4 cup (50g) mixed peel
1/3 cup (80ml) cold water
1/2 cup (170g) apricot jam
Note: I found a packet of mixed sultanas, currents and peel and substituted the fruit with approximately 2 cups of this.


Method
1. Combine milk, yeast and 1 tbs of sugar. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 10 minutes or until frothy.

1. 2. Combine the milk mixture, butter and egg 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, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 23cm square cake pan. 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.


I let my 'warm' milk get too hot, killing the yeast when I added it. This meant the milk mix did not get very frothy, and the dough didn't rise. This turned out to be just fine - I made mini hot cross buns rather than the traditional large ones, and the poor yeast just meant I had very dense, super fruity little buns!

• Great served with a cup of tea and toasted warm with a spread of butter!