Hot Cross Bun Cupcakes Food

HOT CROSS BUN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Combine the lemon juice and milk in a large jug, and set aside for 5 mins. Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and melt the butter in a saucepan. Use a little of the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
• Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, spice, almonds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, then sift through it with your fingers to squash any lumps of sugar. Beat the eggs, zest and melted butter into the thickened milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients, then beat with a balloon whisk until even. Stir in the dried fruit and apple, scoop mix into the tin (the holes will be full; see tip below), then bake for 18-20 mins until golden and well risen. Cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove to a rack.
• When the buns are cold, cut a cross from the top of each one using a serrated knife, then brush the tops with the apricot jam. For the spiced buttercream, beat everything together until creamy and pale. Pipe the buttercream into the crosses. Alternatively, simply glaze the buns and pipe crosses across the tops.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar and flour over the surface of the liquid. Set aside without stirring, until foamy and rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
• Whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick, shaggy, and slightly sticky dough. Stir in currants. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes. (If you have a marker, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time to help you keep track.)
• To form the rolls: Butter a 9 by 14-inch baking pan. Turn the dough out of the bowl and pat into a rectangle about 16 by 8 inches. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 2 ounces each, with a pizza wheel or bench scraper. (If you don't have a scale, divide the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut each of those four sections into 3 equal-sized rolls.)
• Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan, leaving a little space in between each roll. Cover the pan with buttered plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg. Bake rolls until golden brown and puffy, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the rolls registers 190 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• For the glaze: Stir together confectioners' sugar, milk, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Transfer icing to a zip bag or pastry bag, and make a small cut in the corner of the bag. Ice buns in a thick cross shape over the top of the warm buns.

TRADITIONAL HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
• Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg and 3 cups of flour; beat until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Stir in the currants, raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.
• Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down; shape into 30 balls.
• Place on greased baking sheets.
• Cut a cross on top of each roll with a sharp knife.
• Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Beat water and egg yolk; brush over rolls.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
• Cool on wire racks.
• For icing, combine sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over rolls.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Combine yeast, water, and milk; stir well.
• Mix with, potatoes, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and raisins.
• Beat in flour by cups.
• Knead 5 minutes.
• Let rise 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down and divide in half 5 times, for 32 pieces of dough.
• Fold the corners in to make balls.
• Snip a cross onto the top of each ball.
• Let rise for 40 minutes.
• Brush with egg yolk and water.
• Bake 20 minutes at 375.
• While the buns are baking, combine milk, sugar, and vanilla to make icing.
• When buns are cool, drizzle icing over cross.