HOT CROSS BUNS

English Easter has passed and the Orthodox Easter will be here soon....as a Cypriot born and bred in the U.K, I feel privileged to grow up within two cultures, everything is different within you because of this, our humour,our values, some of the choices we make and of course our knowledge of two very different cuisines....Moussaka followed by Apple Tart...Traditional English Roasted Turkey on Christmas Day and Souvla,Pastitsio and Kollokassi on Boxing Day...yes, indeed we are lucky!!! Today, I have those lovely sticky traditional English Easter cakes, Hot Cross Buns and next week it'll be flaounes!! Enjoy!!

Ingredients

For the buns
625 g Flour
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice
45g unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
85g Sugar
Zest of one Lemon
1 sachet yeast
1 Egg
275ml tepid Milk
125g Mixed Dried Fruit..I prefer to use sultanas
For the topping
2 tblsp plain flour
Vegetable oil for greasing
Honey, gently heated for glazing

Method

For the buns, sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, and then add the sugar and lemon zest and yeast.
Beat the egg and add to the flour with the tepid milk. Mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Add the mixed dried fruit or sultanas into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Grease a large, warm mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.
Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with the tea towel and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns to the tray. Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise.
Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8.
Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the plain flour to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of cold water.Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.
Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the hot honey, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Androulla