Apple Sultana Buns Food

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Place 500g (1lb2oz) flour and 2 tsp ground cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and stir in a 7g (¼ oz) sachet yeast, 75g (3oz) sugar and 1¼ tsp salt. Rub in 50g (2oz) butter with your fingertips, then stir in 75g (3oz) sultanas and the diced apple mixed.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and drop in the egg. Then add 100ml (4floz) milk and add most 150ml (¼ pt) warm water. Mix to a soft dough, adding the remaining water if required.
• Turn out the dough and knead gently for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the dough in the oil. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
• Turn out, and lightly knead again. Divide the dough into 12 and roll each piece into a ball. Place on a greased baking sheet about 2cm (1in) apart. Cover with a damp tea towel, or slip the tray inside a carrier bag, and leave in a warm place until doubled in size which should take about 50 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5.
• Place 50g (2oz) flour into a small bowl and stir in enough cold water to mix to a soft paste. Spoon the mixture into a disposable piping bag and snip of the end. Pipe a cross on each bun. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until risen and golden.
• While the hot cross buns are baking, prepare the glaze. Place the sugar and water in a small pan and heat gently stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Once the buns are cooked transfer to a wire rack placed over a tray or baking sheet the brush the tops with the sugar glaze.

APPLE & SULTANA MUFFINS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl mix the self-raising flour, baking powder, cinnamon, wholemeal flour and golden caster sugar.
• In another bowl, mix the eggs, semi-skimmed milk and sunflower oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well, then stir in the grated apples and sultanas.
• Divide the mix between 12 muffin cases and bake for 25 mins. Cool on a wire rack, then pack in a container for lunch.

APPLE & SULTANA BUNS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200c/gas6.
• Sift the flour, cinnamon & baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre & add all the remaining ingredients expect the walnuts. Mix throughly.
• Arrange 12 case in a muffin tin, then divide the mixture between them & sprinkle walnuts over each one.
• Place in the oven & bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown & firm in the middle.
• Remove & turn out on to a wire rack. Serve whilst still warm.

CARAMEL APPLE CINNAMON BUNS

Steps:

• Prepare the dough for the buns the day before you want to bake them, if you have time - this will develop a better flavour. Warm the milk in a pan until steaming but not boiling. Add the butter and swirl the pan for 1-2 mins until the butter has melted and the milk cooled slightly. It should be just warm.
• Put the flour in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast and sugar to one side of the bowl, then ½ tsp salt to the other. Whisk together, then pour in the warm buttery milk. Mix until the ingredients form a soft dough (it should be a little sticky), then tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 8-10 mins, or keep the stand mixer going for 5 mins or so. The dough will feel stretchy and soft when it's ready - you should be able to pull it apart without it breaking straightaway (this means the gluten has been developed). Lightly oil a bowl, add the dough and cover. Leave to rise at room temperature for a few hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Or, chill overnight.
• To make the apple filling, cook the apples, butter, sugar and 1 tbsp water in a pan for 5-10 mins until soft and sticky. Add a splash more water if the pan looks dry or the sugar starts to burn. Leave to cool.
• If the dough has been chilled, take it out of the fridge 30 mins before shaping. For the cinnamon butter, mix the butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together with a pinch of salt. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a rough rectangle, then roll out until it's about 50 x 40cm. Spread the cinnamon butter over the dough and all the way out to the edges. Spoon over the apple filling.
• Working from one of the longer sides, roll the dough up as tightly as you can into a sausage shape. Cut into 12 equal pieces. To easily do this, first cut the dough in half crosswise, then cut each half into three pieces, then halve each piece. Line a large round baking dish or cake tin (about 33cm) with baking parchment. Arrange the buns, cut-side up, in the dish or tin. Make sure the tails of the buns (where the dough opens) are tucked in towards the middle of the tin, so they don't unfurl when baked. Leave some space around each bun, as they will expand as they prove. Cover loosely and leave to rise for 30 mins-2 hrs (depending on how hot your kitchen is) until the buns are puffed up and touching at the sides. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Bake for 35-40 mins until golden. Check the buns after 25 mins - if they still look a little doughy at the centre but the edges are burning, cover with foil and continue baking. Leave to cool in the tin while you make the icing.
• Mix the soft cheese, icing sugar and cinnamon together. Spread over the buns while still slightly warm, so the icing drips into the swirls of the buns a little without melting completely. Loosen the caramel with a drop of milk, if needed, then drizzle over the icing. Leave to set for 30 mins before serving.

SULTANA BUN

Steps:

• Cream the margarine and sugar.Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Sift the two flours and mix with the sultanas.(This will prevent the sultanas from sinking to the bottom of the cake mix).
• Add to the mixture and stir until smooth.
• Grease a 6 inch square cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.Grease this and coat with plain flour.
• Pour in the cake mixture and spread evenly.
• Line the outside of the tin with brown paper and tie with string.Put a brown paper lid on top(with holes cut in to allow steam to escape).This will prevent the cake from burning.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven,325deg F.,for 2.5 - 3 hours,until a skewer comes out clean.An experienced cook can listen to the cake and it will tell you when it is done(no gurgling sound).
• Once cooked,leave in the tin for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.
• Cut into slices and serve.