My first batch of hot cross buns ever...and they were a success!

I was going to do Nigella Lawson's recipe, but hers looked all flat and lifeless. And every other recipe I read, looked like way too much work! I was pretty sure Donna Hay had a recipe and I'm glad she did. Like most of her recipes, this one was easy.

I felt that Donna Hay's recipe didn't include enough mixed fruit so I added in LOTS more. I have made alterations in the recipe to about 2.5 cups of mixed fruit, but you can add more or less depending on how fruity you like your buns.

I feared they were going to be as hard as rocks but they weren't. They were surprisingly soft and delicious! The spices were right, the flavour was there, and I'm so glad they were a success. I might try choc chip ones next time!


Hot Cross Buns
Donna Hay, alterations by Iron Chef Shellie

2 tablespoons dried yeast*
¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar
1½ cups (375ml) warm milk
4¼ cups (635g) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
50g butter, melted
1 egg
¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar, extra
2½ cups mixed fruit

Crosses
½ cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour
⅓ cup (80ml) water

Glaze
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
¼ cup (60ml) water

1. Combine the yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl. Set aside for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface.

2. Combine the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, butter, egg, extra sugar, sultanas, mixed peel and yeast mixture in a large bowl. Mix with a butter knife until a sticky dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–10 minutes or until it feels smooth and elastic when pressed. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm place for 30–40 minutes or until doubled in size.

3. Lightly knead the dough again, divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place in a 23cm-square cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 25–30 minutes or until doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF). To make the crosses, combine the flour and water to make a smooth paste. Place in a piping bag** and pipe crosses onto the buns. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until well browned and springy to touch.

5. To make the glaze, combine the sugar, gelatine and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir for 2 minutes or until dissolved. Brush warm buns with the glaze and serve with butter.

* You will need this amount of yeast because of the amount of sugar in the recipe.
** To make a piping bag, fill a ziplock bag with the cross mixture and snip off one corner.

Makes 12.

Voila! Bon Appétit!

It's that time of year again, my favorite, Easter! Chocolate to celebrate? I dunno who thought of that but I LOVE that idea!
I was going to give hot cross buns a go but my aunty dropped around a dozen and mum bought some so I thought I'd leave that idea for another day.

I didn't buy enough caramel easter eggs, so 2 muffins were left with some random chocolate I found in the pantry.
These are good even if they aren't warm. They are best after baking as the chocolate is still all soft and gooey. A nice treat for your Easter breakfast!


Caramel Easter-Egg Muffins
Taste.com.au

2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
125g butter, melted, cooled
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
12 small caramel-filled Easter eggs*

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin pan with paper cases.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Whisk butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence together.

3. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix until just combined (don't over-mix or your muffins will be tough). Spoon batter into cases so each is one-third full. Place an unwrapped Easter egg into the middle of each muffin. Spoon over remaining muffin batter.

4. Bake muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light golden and cooked through. Stand in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Hint: Make sure you don't eat muffins while hot as the caramel inside the eggs will be very hot. * When Easter eggs are not available, use Rolo chocolates or pieces of caramel-filled chocolate.

Voila! Bon Appétit!

Last week I promised my work mates some baked goods on Friday. I was keen to do something with chocolate (oh how unlike me right?), but I wanted a recipe where I didn't have to go and buy lots of ingredients. I've been going through my massive magazine collection and found this cake that looked yumo!

Typical me doesn't read instructions all that well and added ALL the vanilla into the cake and wondered why it was asking to put more vanilla in the icing! So folks, if you are going to make this one, pay attention as to how much vanilla goes into the cake!

It was yum! Whilst for some reason when I took my first taste I was a bit upset as it wasn't as soft and spongy like a lamington, I had to remind myself it was actually a "cake". Everyone who got a slice loved it.

If you want, you can slice it in half and put in cream and jam.

Lamington Cake
Valli Little & Amanda Biffin

190g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla bean pasta or vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 1/3 cups (350g) self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup (250ml) milk
220g dark chocolate
1 cup (25oml) thickened cream
1 cup desiccated or shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan.

2. Process butter and sugar in a processor for 2 minutes until light. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, pulsing after each until just combined.

3. In 3 alternating batches, add flour and milk, pulsing to combine. Pour into pan and bake for 55-60 minutes until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, stir chocolate, cream and remaining vanilla in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until smooth (don't let the bowl touch the water). Chill for 20 minutes to thicken. Spread this icing over the cake, then sprinkle top and sides with coconut.

Serves 8-10.

Voila! Bon Appétit!