Healthy Living Bread Recipes

Harraways Hot Cross Buns

• ½ Cup Harraways Fruit Harvest (80g)
• 3 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon, ground
• 3 Teaspoons Mixed spice
• 3 teaspoons Nutmeg, ground
• 1 cup Water

Method:
Place Harraways Fruit Harvest in a microwave safe bowl. Then add the mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir the 4 ingredients together until well combined. Add water and cook in a microwave for 60 seconds then stir again and place to one side.

• 5 Cups Flour (750g)
• 3 Tablespoons Honey (63g)
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Yeast (Sure to rise) (17g)
• 3/4 cup Milk (warm) (187ml)
• ½ cup Water (warm)(125ml)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup Sultanas (160g)
• ½ cup Currants (80g)
• ¼ Cup butter (68g)

Method:
Place flour, honey, yeast, cooked spiced porridge, milk, water and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Using a dough hook and on the lowest speed mix until well combined (alternatively this could be done on a well-floured clean bench). Cover kneaded dough with a lightly greased piece of clear film and place to allow to rise in a warm location for an hour. Once the dough has doubled in size knead the dough then cover and place back in the warm location for approx. ½ hour.

The dough is now ready to have the butter and fruit added to it, this can be done either in a mixer using a dough hook, or on a well-floured clean bench. Once all the fruit has been well combined roll the dough into a large sausage and divide the dough into 18 equal portions. Then roll the portions into balls and place on a backing tray, cover again with the lightly greased clear film and place somewhere warm and allow the buns to rise.

Cross mix

• ½ Cup water (125ml)
• 3 Tablespoons Butter (42g)
• 1/3 Cup Flour (50g)
• 2-3 Tablespoons additional water (30ml -45ml)

Method:
Make the cross paste. Place water and the butter into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth return to a low heat until the mixture forms a nice ball in the saucepan and clears the sides similar to making choux pastry. This is the time to add the addition water if needed, the ideal paste needs to have a good piping consistency and resembles smooth mashed potato. Take the paste off the heat and place it into a piping bag with a small round nozzle.

Once the buns have doubled in size, pipe the cross mixture onto the buns in a smooth continuous motion crossing all buns in a line and allowing the paste to stay connected as a ribbon.

Place completed crossed buns into a hot oven at 200°C for 20-25mins. Once buns are cooked remove from the oven and while they are still hot glaze with some apricot jam diluted with a little water.