Tuesday, April 19, 2011

One a penny, two a penny...

hot cross buns by heliospheric
hot cross buns, a photo by heliospheric on Flickr.

Hot Cross Buns!

Obviously, my cross piping skills need some work, but I can attest to their utter deliciousness.

It also pleases my inner pagan that they taste just as delicious sans croix. I had to eat one of each, you know, for science.

uncrossed buns

I used this recipe, with some modifications:

  • 4 teaspoons of mixed spice
  • 1 cup currants & 1 cup of sultanas
  • cooked in fan forced oven at 180 deg. C for 20 min.
  • glazed the buns with heated golden syrup instead of water/sugar combination suggested in the recipe. I love golden syrup.
  • made 16 smaller buns instead of 12.

I made my own mixed spice combo:

  • 1.5 teasp. ground cinnamon
  • 1.25 teasp. Lebkuchen gewürz
  • 0.75 teasp. allspice
  • 0.5 teasp. ground ginger
  • pinch of ground black pepper

There will be more of these in my future.

9 comments:

Kate said...

These buns are a work of art. May I ask, what is golden syrup? I cook better than I bake but I'd like to try these.

jb said...

I'll have some of the "two a penny" versions, ta v much.

Golden syrup: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_syrup

Maple syrup as a substitute?

Kate said...

I see that jb got here before I returned again. I wanted to say something clever about other kinds of buns, but nothing came to mind. I did google golden syryp and also Lebkuchen gewürz so I can go ahead and experiment with the buns! The baked kinds that is.

Helen said...

Kate - the Lebkuchen gewürz is a german spice mix that I used mainly because I couldn't find any 'mixed spice' in the supermarket. Mixed spice is probably readily available in US stores. Perhaps even "pumpkin pie spice" would do.

jb was v. quick off the mark on the golden syrup. Maple syrup may give you satisfactory results, although golden syrup is much thicker - I bit like treacle/molasses. Honey would also be OK. Or you can follow the recipe linked in the post and you a sugar/water solution to glaze.

I hope you enjoy them.

Helen said...

jb - a baker's dozen?

Rute said...

They look delicious!

Helen said...

@Rute - they certainly are. I've been rationing them. They are best eaten the day they are made, or you can freeze them for up to a week. Defrost in the microwave or wrapped in foil in the oven. Mmmmmm hot cross buns with butter.

Kim said...

Oooh, I am inspired by the golden syrup glaze. My next batch is going to get that treatment.

I wasn't able to locate mixed spice in American supermarkets. Internetting "English mixed spice recipe" led me in the right direction and I whizzed up my own blend in the spice grinder.

pyjamamel said...

Yum, yum, yum! They look fabulous!