Hot Cross Buns:
~1½ cups warm milk (or almond milk)
~1 x 7g sachet dried yeast
~⅓ cup coconut sugar
~2¾ cups organic plain flour (or baking flour)
~1¼ cups spelt flour
~1 tsp ground cinnamon
~1 tsp mixed spice
~Pinch of sea salt
~¼ cup melted ghee or unsalted butter
~1 egg
~Zest of one lemon (optional)
~½ cup dried blueberries (or sultanas or chocolate chips)
Cross:
~⅓ cup flour
~Water (enough to form a smooth paste)
Glaze:
~¼ cup maple syrup
Method:
1. Add the milk, yeast and 1 tbsp of the coconut sugar to a large bowl and set aside for 5–7 minutes, or until foaming. Add the white flour, spelt flour, cinnamon, mixed spice, ghee, salt, egg, lemon zest and blueberries, and mix until a shaggy, sticky dough comes together. Add extra flour as needed.
2. Lightly dust your kitchen bench with flour and pour out the dough. Knead for 6–8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Don’t over-knead — this can result in dense buns, especially when using spelt flour.
3. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough into it. Cover with a slightly damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough, then divide it into 9–12 pieces and place them in a lightly greased baking tin. Cover with the damp tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for a further 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C, fan-forced.
5. In a small bowl, make the cross by whisking together the flour and slowly adding water until a smooth paste forms. Place in a piping bag and pipe crosses over the buns.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Brush with maple syrup while the buns are still warm. Enjoy!
Notes: Best enjoyed warm on the day they’re made but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Toast lightly before serving. Buns can be frozen for up to 3 months.
*Dough not rising?
Make sure your milk is warm (not hot), your yeast is active (it should foam), and the dough is placed somewhere warm to rise.
**Dough too sticky? Add extra flour 1 tbsp at a time while kneading. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not wet. Avoid over-flouring to keep the buns light.
***Buns too dense or dry? This could be from over-kneading or under-proofing. Knead just until smooth and elastic, and let the dough rise fully before baking. Spelt flour can make the dough slightly denser, so if you prefer a lighter bun, you can substitute some or all of the spelt flour with plain white flour (or even better, baking flour) for best results.
