Hot Cross Buns
Preparation 15 Minutes
Cook 20 MIN + PROVING TIME 3 HRS Minutes
Serves 12
Method
In a small saucepan, heat the milk until just boiling. Pour ¼ cup of the hot milk into a small bowl. Set aside remaining milk.
Add 1 tsp of the caster sugar to the ¼ cup of milk. Sprinkle the yeast of the top and stir. Sit at room temperature until bubbly and doubled in size, approx. 10 min.
Meanwhile, add the butter to remaining reserved hot milk and stir to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, place flour, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk and butter mix. Stir. Then add the yeast mix. Stir to combine. Add the egg. Continue to stir until a sticky dough forms.
Tip onto a lightly floured clean surface, and knead until it becomes a smooth dough, about 5 mins.
Place the dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover with cling film, sprayed with oil and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Add the sultanas, mix again, and recover. Rest again in a warm place for another hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls on a lightly floured surface.
Arrange onto prepared tray, leaving a 2cm space between each ball. Spray with oil, cover and rest for 30-60 mins, or until dough has risen again.
For the paste:
In a small bowl, combine flour and icing sugar. Gradually add water, 1 tbspn at a time, until a paste forms.
Using a piping bag with a small nozzle (or a small snap lock bag with the corner snipped) fill with the paste and pipe along the centre of each row of rolls. Turn the tray and repeat this across the centre of the rolls to form a cross.
Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 20 mins or until golden.
Gently heat the jam to melt to a syrupy consistency. Brush the tops of the warm buns to glaze.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
300ml milk
7g sachet instant yeast
½ cup caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, softened
500g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1 cup Sunbeam sultanas
1 egg, lightly beaten
Cross paste:
80g plain flour
1 tbspn icing sugar
5-6 tbspn water
Glaze
3 tbspn apricot jam
Recipe Collection
Sunbeam Decadent Fruit Mince
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl till combined.
Place into sterilised jars and store in a cool dark dry place to macerate for as long as you can before using.
This fruit mix made ahead can be used for so many great Sunbeam Recipes!
Tomato & Raisin Chutney
- Place tomatoes, onion, sugar, vinegar, raisins, spices and salt into a large saucepan. Heat over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Increased heat and bring to a simmer, cooking for approximately 1 hour, until thickened and reduced. Stirring often throughout cooking time to prevent sticking to the bottom.
- Place washed and rinsed jars into an oven so they are hot. Remove to a benchtop and pour chutney between the jars. Wipe clear covers with vinegar and place over the top of each jar, sealing with an elastic band. Allow to cool before screwing jar lids on and decorating for giving as gifts.
Once opened, store chutney in the refrigerator.
Mini Fruit Mince Tarts
To make the fruit mince filling, add all ingredients to a large bowl, mix well, cover and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.
To make the pastry, add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, butter and sugar into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and chilled water together in a small bowl, then slowly add to the food processor while it’s running until the mixture comes together into a dough. Remove from the food processor and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and place into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 160℃.
Remove from the pastry from the fridge and roll out to a thin 0.3mm dough. Cut into 7cm circles using a cookie cutter or other round object, then place into lightly greased mini muffin tins (30ml capacity). Scoop the fruit mince between the pastry cases. Cut stars from the remaining pastry and place on top of each fruit pie. Brush with milk.
Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place onto wire racks to cool.
IceCream Torte & Caramel Fig Sauce
Line a 12cm x 26cm x 8cm terrine tin with plastic wrap, leaving enough to be able to cover the top completely.
Pulse dried fruit in a food processor to roughly chop. Combine in a bowl with the port. Set aside for 2 hours.
In a food processor blitz cookies to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse to combine.
Whisk 2 cups (500ml) cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, lightly beat condensed milk and lemon juice together. Fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture, then fold in drained fruit mixture and nuts. Spread a third of the cream mixture over the base of the lined terrine, then top with half the biscuit mixture, then repeat again with cream mixture & biscuits. Enclose with plastic wrap, then freeze overnight.
Place figs in a bowl, cover with boiling water, then set aside for 30 minutes.
Combine sugar and remaining 200ml cream in a pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Drain figs (discard liquid), add to cream mixture and simmer for 1 minute. Cool.
To serve, invert terrine onto a serving plate and spoon over caramel figs with their syrup.
Almond Star Bread
Preheat the oven to 180℃.
To make the Spiced Almond Cream: place butter and sugar into a stand mixer bowl. Mix for 2 minutes, until smooth. Slowly add the whisked eggs, salt and vanilla and mix again to incorporate. Fold in the almond meal and cinnamon and fold through with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
Slice each piece of puff pastry into 4 x 25cm circles.
Place one dough circle onto a piece of baking paper and spread 1 tablespoon of the Spiced Almond Cream evenly over the top. Stack the next dough circle on top and repeat with more Spiced Almond Cream. Repeat again with the final two dough circles.
Place a round object, about 7-8cm wide into the centre of the circle and make an indent, which becomes the centre of the star.
Cut the dough into 16 evenly spaced strips, starting from the indent to the edge of the dough. Take two strips next to each other and roll them away from each other. Press the two ends together to join. Repeat with the remaining 14 strips until each are twisted and paired up.
Transfer the star on the baking paper to a large baking tray. Brush with egg water wash and sprinkle over the flaked almonds. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool and then dust with icing sugar, to serve.
Golden Fruit Cake
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. In a large bowl add Sunbeam Almond Meal, sugar the butter and egg and combine until a breadcrumb texture. Spoon into a greased 23cm (base measurement) fluted loose base tart tin. Press mixture to line the base and sides of the tin. Making sure you have made even base and sides, the palm of your hand for the base. Freeze for 15 minutes. Place the tart shell on a baking tray and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
