Hot Cross Buns

Thanks to Artywah for this one!

Makes 12

400g white flour
2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
125g mixed dried fruit
100g sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup milk
50g butter
1 egg

Sift flour, yeast, allspice & cinnamon into large bowl.
Add mixed dried fruit, lemon zest & sugar & combine.
In saucepan melt butter & milk together over low heat.
Once butter has melted add egg & whisk.
Make well in dry ingredients & slowly add milk mixture folding dry ingredients over as you pour.
Combine all ingredients to form dough.
Tip dough onto floured bench & kneed for about 10 min.
Divide dough into 12 pieces & shape into balls & place on lightly floured tray.
Cover with some damp kitchen paper.
Place tea towel over top.
Set aside for 12 hrs – dough should roughly double in size.
Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Pipe on cross (see below).
(This step can be left out if you just want sweet fruit buns.)
Place buns on lightly greased baking tray & bake for 20-25 min or until cooked through & lightly brown on top.
Glaze (see below) & set aside to cool.
Serve warmed with butter.

Variations
This recipe is for hot cross buns with mixed fruit but you can use just raisins or leave the fruit out completely depending on your personal preference.
You can easily modify this recipe to make choc-chip or mocha versions of hot cross buns (see below).

Cross

2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp water

Mix flour & water together in bowl to form smooth paste.
Transfer to piping bag & pipe cross onto each bun.

Glaze

3 tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp dark rum

Add golden syrup & rum to saucepan & gently heat until golden syrup becomes runny.
Stir & then brush glaze over buns.

Choc-chip Hot Cross Buns

125g choc bits

Follow Hot Cross Buns with fruit recipe as above, with following changes:
Do not add mixed fruit or lemon zest but add half choc chips to the mixture instead.
Add remaining choc chips when kneading dough.
Decorate with chocolate cross (see below).

Mocha Hot Cross Buns

1/2 cup espresso
1/4 cup choc bits

Follow Hot Cross Buns with fruit recipe as above, with following changes:
Do not add mixed fruit or lemon zest.
Replace 1/2 cup milk with espresso & add choc bits.
Decorate with chocolate cross (see below).

Chocolate Cross

10g choc bits

Melt choc bits.
Add to flour & water in Cross recipe above.