Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Hot Cross Bun Loaf
  • 10 servings
  • 20 mins to prepare
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Ingredients

  • 250g bread flour or strong plain flour
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp ground mixed spice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Zest of 2 blood oranges
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 40g butter
  • 125ml milk
  • 7g fast-acting dried yeast
  • 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
  • 50g sultanas
  • 50g chopped mixed peel
  • 50g chopped dark chocolate chips
  • Sunflower oil for greasing
  • For the Cross
  • 50g flour
  • 60g water
  • For the Glaze
  • 25g blood orange marmalade
  • Juice of 1 blood orange

Instructions

You will need a 1kg loaf tin.

METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C Fan/ 350°F/ Gas Mark 4.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, spices, orange zest and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Gently warm the milk and butter in a pan until it’s lukewarm and whisk in the yeast.
4. Add this to the flour mixture and mix well.
5. Add the beaten egg and bring the mixture together into a smooth dough.
6. Dust with a little flour then tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead the sultanas, mixed peel and chocolate chips into the dough.
7. Continue to knead for 5 minutes until smooth and silky.
8. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel to prove, keep in a warm area for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
9. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and divide it into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
10. Butter a 1kg loaf tin and place the balls into the tin creating two rows of four. Cover with a damp cloth and prove again for 1 hour in a warm place.
11. The dough will now have risen to the top of the tin.
12. For the famous cross: Mix the flour and water together and place into a piping bag. Pipe a cross on top of each ball and bake the loaf in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
13. Once the loaf is cool enough to handle, tip out onto a cool-ing rack cross side up.
14. Place the blood orange marmalade and orange juice into a pan and bring to the boil, then use this mixture to lightly glaze the top of the loaf.

CHEF’S TIP:
Delicious when dipped in egg and fried in butter, serve with yo-ghurt and fruit for amazing twist on French toast.

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