Hippety Hoppity!

It's Easter! Time for chocolate hangovers and hot cross buns coming out the wahzoo. So here's an easy recipe for hot cross buns (guess what we're having for breakfast??).

Hot Cross Buns
(makes 12)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup sugar (I use raw sugar)
4 1/2 cups plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup dried cranberries
1 egg
50g melted butter

Method:
In a large bowl add the sugar, flour, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon and dried fruit. Mix until combined.

Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter, egg and milk.

Use a butter knife to mix then tip out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic (add more flour or milk if dough is too sticky or dry).

Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (I left mine overnight so the dough would be ready to bake for breakfast).

Take dough out and knead lightly then portion into 12 segments of roughly equal size.

Roll into balls with your hands and arrange on a greased baking tin (I prefer a tin for buns and rolls as the heat up the sides gives a more even cooking).

Allow to rise in a warm place for another 40 minutes. Use this time to preheat the oven to about 200C and make up a mixture for the crosses.

Crosses: mix flour and water till it is a wet paste and pipe over the buns.

Glaze mixture: 1/4 cup hot water, 3 tbsp of caster sugar.

Bake for 10 mins then turn oven down to 180C and cook for another 20-25 mins or until springy to touch.

Brush glaze over them as soon as they are out of the oven. Eat hot or allow to cool!

Scrumptious Sweet Scrolls

Sweet scrolls make a perfect tea time treat!

I had made a Vegemite and cheese version of these delicious scrolls first and they had proved to be such a hit that I thought I'd try the sweet version. The basic dough recipe comes from an adaptation of the pizza dough recipe I use (which was from Larousse Gastronomique).

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain flour
• 2 1/2 tsps yeast
• 1 1/2 tbsps sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsps olive oil
• 300 - 350 ml warm water (I microwave for 1.5 - 2 mins)
• 3 cups mixed sultanas, raisins, cranberries (dried) and candied peel
• 2 tbsps brown sugar (Muscovado sugar adds a really rich flavour)
• Strawberry or apricot jam (for glazing)

Method

• Preheat oven to 200C.
• Place flour, yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil into food processor with dough hook and mix.
• Add warm water slowly while mixing (don't turn the machine off) till dough comes together and is smooth.
• Continue to mix for a minute or two longer (this means you won't have to knead it afterwards).
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Leave in a warm spot for an hour or until at least doubled in size.
• While dough is rising, mix the brown (or Muscovado) sugar and fruit and allow to macerate.
• When dough has risen, divide in half and roll each half very thin into a rectangle - I find rolling between two sheets of baking paper works well.
• Sprinkle the fruit-sugar mix over the dough and roll the rectangle into a log from the long end. You should end up with a long log of dough.
• Seal the edge and cut into 4cm pieces.
• Arrange the pieces close together (not touching) on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Bake for 20 - 22 mins until scrolls are puffed and nicely browned.
• Remove from the oven. Heat the jam and brush onto the scrolls while warm (not hot - DON'T BOIL THE JAM).
• Allow the scrolls to cool thoroughly, store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Here's a tip about the bowl you place your dough in - if it's too wide, your dough won't rise nicely. Aim for a deep bowl instead, this will allow your dough to rise beautifully.