Hot Cross Buns or fruit loaf
Soft and fluffy with the delicious inclusion of apple
Ingredients
- 10 g instant yeast
- .25 c tepid water
- 1 t honey
- 500 g strong flour
- 1 t salt
- 75 g raw sugar
- 40 g butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- .5 c warm milk
- 150 g sultanas
- 80 g mixed peel, chopped
- 1 apple, peeled and diced
- 2 t cinnamon
- .25 t all spice
- 1-2 zest of an orange optional
- 1 T marmalade, melted
Extra for adjustments and dusting
- .25 c tepid water for adjustment to dough consistency
- .25 c strong flour for adjustments and dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the yeast, honey and water and leave to bloom for about 10 minutes and starting to foam.
- Add flour, sugar, salt, butter, eggs and milk and bind into a dough. Add more water or flour as needed to get a good consistency.
- Knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is shiny and stretchy.
- Place dough in bowl and leave to rise until doubled in size.
- Knock back dough and start to incorporate sultanas, peel, apple, cinnamon and zest. It is easier to add the ingredients in small portions. Knead the dough until everything is mixed through evenly. You may need extra dusting during this knead.
- Leave to rise until double in size.
- Knock back the dough again and then shape into balls, 12-16 or so.
- Place the balls on the floured baking trays and leave to rise for about another hour.
- Bake in the fan forced oven 200degC for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
When I make this recipe I halve the dough after the second rise. One half gets made into a loaf and the other half I make 8 hot cross buns from it. i don't bother with putting the crosses on.
Some dried apple or apricot would make a nice addition to this recipe. I will up the amount of apple in my next batch!