Earl Grey & Orange hot cross buns
Servings: 14 -16
Ingredients
- 300 ml milk
- 50 g butter
- 500 g strong white or all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 75 g caster/white sugar
- 7 g fast action yeast
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 125 g sultanas/raisins and mixed peel combo
- zest of 1 orange
- 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Earl grey tea bags
- 125 ml boiling water
- 2-3 tablespoon of smooth apricot jam
- 4-5 tablespoon of flour
Instructions
- Combine the water, tea and sultana mix and let stand for 1-2 hours.
- Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix and set aside.
- Heat the milk until it boils, toss in the butter and cool until you can comfortably put your finger into it. Then pour this into flour along with a beaten egg.
- Knead this rather wet dough and place into an oiled bowl, let rise for 1 hour.
- Carefully drain the sultanas, and mix this along with the orange peel and cinnamon into the dough. After a good distribution, let rise again.
- After an hour divide into 15-16 pieces and arrange on a baking tray. Turn on your oven to 220C (200C if a convection/fan oven). Let the pieces rise for a further hour.
- Mix the 4-5 tablespoon of flour with water until smooth like syrup. Use this to create the classic crosses on top. Then place into the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat the jam so it is runny, and when the buns have a good light brown colour take out and brush with the jam. Cool on a rack and then devour!
Notes
Toast under the broiler, not in the toaster due to the jam and sugar content.