Put a twist on a traditional Easter bake with these Prune and Orange Hot Cross Buns from Peter Sidwell.
With hints of spices, cardamom and green tea this will definitely be a change from the normal Easter offering. These buns are best enjoyed warm from the oven and smoothered in soft creamy butter.
3Cardamom pods (seeds only, lightly crushed in pestle & mortar)
250gAllinson's Strong White Bread Flour
For the Topping
1Egg (for the glaze)
75gAllinson's Plain White Flour
3 tbspWater
2 tbspRunny honey (to glaze)
Utensils
Large bowl
Pastry brush
Cling film
Small knife
Piping bag
Nutritional information per 186g serving
Energy 455cal
Fat 3.5g
of which Saturates 1.1g
Carbohydrates 86g
of which Sugars 20g
Protein 16g
Salt 1.4g
Method
Step 1
Mix together the flour, yeast and salt. Make a well in the bottom of the bowl and pour in the milk and green tea.
Ingredients for this step
250gAllinson's strong wholemeal bread flour
250gAllinson's Strong White Bread Flour
7gAllinson's Easy Bake Yeast Sachet
1 1/2 tspSalt
200mlGreen tea (using 2 green tea bags)
150mlMilk (whole)
Step 2
Using your hand or a dough hook on a stand mixer bring the wet and dry ingredients together to form a ball of dough. Knead on the work surface or in the mixer to develop the gluten. Work the dough for a good 10 minutes at least in order for it to be smooth and stretchy and ready for proving.
Step 3
Cover the bowl and leave to prove to double in size.
Step 4
Scoop out the dough and stretch over the work surface until it is about the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Sprinkle the spices and scatter the fruit over the dough.
Step 5
Fold the dough over itself to encase the spice and fruit then knead the dough to distribute the spice and fruit through it.
Ingredients for this step
140gCalifornia prunes (finely chopped)
50gCandied orange peel (finely chopped)
1/2 tspGround ginger
1/2 tspGround cinnamon
3Cardamom pods (seeds only, lightly crushed in pestle & mortar)
Step 6
This quantity of dough will make 6 large Hot Cross Buns or 10 small ones. Portion off the dough and roll into balls. Put the dough balls onto a floured baking tray to prove again, 1 - 2 cm apart so that as they prove up they start to touch each other.
Step 7
Leave to double in size again and pre-heat your oven to 185oC (gas mark 4).
Step 8
Brush the buns with beaten egg and a pastry brush.
Ingredients for this step
1Egg (for the glaze)
Step 9
Make up a paste of the flour and water, and put into a piping bag. Snip off the end of the bag, always make a smaller hole than you think you need to because the paste will spread as the buns bake in the oven.
Ingredients for this step
75gAllinson's Plain White Flour
3 tbspWater
Step 10
Pipe a cross onto each bun and then bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
Step 11
Glaze with runny honey after the buns have come out of the oven and cooled for 10 minutes.
Ingredients for this step
2 tbspRunny honey (to glaze)
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