How To Bake Trini Hot Cross Buns

Yield: 12 Buns

INGREDIENTS

Flour - 4 cups Dry Yeast - 1/2 oz Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup Salt - 1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp Evaporated Milk - 12oz (warm) Egg - 1 large Lemon Essence - 1 tsp Yellow Food Colouring - a few drops Marigold Margarine - 3 oz Currants - 2oz Raisins - 2oz Mixed Fruit - 4oz Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup Water - 1/2 cup Mixed Essence - 1 tbsp Vanilla Essence - 1 tbsp Bay Leaf - 1

Egg White - 1 Icing Sugar - 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk/Water - 2 tbsp

METHOD

1. For The Buns:

2. Sift together flour, sugar and cinnamon.

3. Add yeast and mix well. Set aside.

4. Scald milk and add egg, lemon essence and yellow food colouring. Set aside.

5. Cut margarine into flour mixture.

6. Add fruit and mix well.

7. Add milk mixture and mix until just combined then add salt.

8. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes.

9. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rest for 1 hour.

10. Punch down dough.

11. Shape equal pieces of dough into 12 buns and placed on a greased baking sheet.

12. Cover with a warm cloth and let rest one hour.

13. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.

For Glaze:

1. Add brown sugar, water, vanilla, mixed essence and bay leaf to a pot and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until all the sugar has dissolved.

2. Remove from heat once reduced to half.

3. Glaze buns while the buns are still hot.

4. Set aside to cool completely.

For Royal Icing:

1. Place egg white into bowl and using a hand held mixer or standing mixer, beat egg whites until frothy.

2. Add icing sugar bit by bit until a firm consistency is achieved.

3. *If icing becomes too thick, add milk or water little by little to thin the icing until a desired consistency is achieved*

4. Make crosses on cooled buns and enjoy!