Hot Cross Buns

Prep time: 20-25 min | Cook time: 30-35min | Serving: 6-7 buns

Part a: Soaked mixed fruits

• 1/2cup (73g) dried mixed fruits

• 6 ½tbsp (85g) boiling water

Part b: Cooked Flour Paste

• 1¼ tbsp (10g) The Kind Harvest Self-raising Flour

• ¼ cup (45g) whole milk

Part c: Dough

• 5 tbsp (67ml) whole milk (warmed to 43-46℃)

• 1/4 cup (30g) brown sugar

• 1 ½ cup (186g) The Kind Harvest Self-Raising Flour

• 1 tsp (4g) dry instant yeast

• 1 small egg (25g) (room temperature, lightly beaten)

• 2 tsp (8g) milk powder

• A pinch (1g) table salt

• 3g/ (1/2tsp) vanilla extract

• 1tsp cinnamon (2.6g)

• ¼ tsp nutmeg (0.8g)

• ¼ tsp ginger powder (0.27g)

• 1/8 tsp ground cloves (0.2g)

• A pinch pimento (0.13g)

• 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter (room temperature)

• All the cooked flour paste

• Soaked & drained mixed fruits

Part d: Crosses

• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp (50g) The Kind Harvest Self-Raising Flour

• 4 ½ tbsp (55g) room temperature water

Part e: Sugar syrup

• 1 tbsp (15g) water

• 1/3 cup (25g) sugar

• 1/4tsp vanilla extract (1.08g)

Part a: In a bowl, combine dried mixed fruits with boiling water. Cover with cling wrap, set aside for 10-15 minutes. Drain well.

Part b: In a saucepan, combine flour and water then whisk till the flour dissolves. Place over medium heat, cook to a paste consistency stirring constantly to prevent burning. Transfer into a ramekin, set aside to cool.

Part c:

1. Preheat oven to 50℃ fan-forced/ 70℃ conventional. In a medium/ mixer bowl, add all ingredients except for butter and mixed fruits. Using a dough hook attachment, mix ingredients on low speed until just combined then increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 8-10 minutes until elastic and pulling off the sides.

2. Add in butter, continue mixing till dissolved and the dough becomes shiny. Add in drained fruits, mix till just evenly distributed throughout the dough, then transfer into a clean greased bowl and cover with a damped towel.

3. Turn off oven, place the bowl into the oven and let the dough rise for 1-2 hours till doubled in size.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, lightly knead to remove any big air bubbles, then divide into 60g portions (6-7 pieces). Shape each one into a tight ball.

5. Transfer the balls onto a baking paper lined tray, allowing a 2cm gap between each ball. Cover with the damp towel, let it rise in the oven again for 30-60 minutes or until doubled in size. (Note: turn the oven back on during cold weather).

Part d: In a bowl, mix flour and water to a paste, then transfer into a pipping bag. Cut a small tip at the end.

• Take the dough out of the oven. Preheat the oven to 170℃ (fan-forced), 190℃ (convectional). Pipe crosses onto each roll (Note: pipe horizontally across all the rolls, then vertically across all the rolls). Bake for 25-30 minutes, covering with foil halfway through if browning too fast.

Part e: Halfway through baking, make the sugar syrup. Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan, bring to a boil till all the sugar dissolves then set aside to cool.

1. Once the buns are out of the oven, immediately brush with the cooled sugar syrup.

Serve and enjoy!