Loving… that moment when your son happily tells their father that they’ve eaten hot cross buns for three meals in a row! Not loving the fact that I kind of hadn’t noticed, but loving I was told after it all, and hey they were fed weren’t they? And that’s surely the main thing, right?…errr right?!
Loving…growing cosmos, lots and lots of them.
Loving…Exploring new places along old country roads.
Loving…late night visits to closed sea pools with full moons rising over the sea, and opportunities for wild kids to run just that bit wilder. Doing that, is seriously soul filling stuff after a week of things being fairly rubbish. (Now, did I mention that I had fed my kids unknowingly hot cross buns three meals in a row?)
Loving…new days.
This years Hot Cross Bun Recipe…juuuussst in case, you too run out of meal ideas.
Hot Cross Buns
300g sourdough starter
1 tsp dried yeast
4 1/2 cups strong bakers flour
375mls water (approximate)
handful of chopped dried apricots (or whatever dried fruit you like)
handful of chocolate buttons (optional)
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
100g (1/2 cup) raw sugar
100g softened butter
1 tsp salt
Add all ingredients together except softened butter and salt- either by hand or mixer. If using a mixer, do so for about ten minutes. You want that dough really worked before adding the butter in, the gluten needs to be well developed.
Gradually add your cubed softened butter into the dough, also adding the salt. Continue to mix for a further ten minutes. If doing by hand, work it well.
Dough should look smooth and coming together off the sides of the bowl.
Place a damp tea towel or plastic shopping bag over the top of the bowl. This creates a gentle humid environment for your bread to rise. Leave it for an hour or so.
On to a really lightly floured surface, give your dough a brief three way fold or knock back. Back into the bowl for another hour or so.
Divide your dough into equal portions, (this recipe makes roughly 16 portions) rolling them into balls and then on to your baking trays. Allow them to prove for roughly another 1-3 hours, (depends on the temperature- dough should neither spring back or leave an indent) or overnight in the fridge. Again covered by either a damp tea towel or plastic shopping bag.
Crosses
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
100-125mls water
2 tbls raw sugar
Mix ingredients together and use a piping bag to squeeze out crosses just before popping buns in the oven.
Bake at 200C for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
Sugar Glaze
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup water
Heat the glaze and brush buns as soon as they are out of the oven.
Eat with enthusiasm.
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Ever given your kids the same meal three times in a row unknowingly? Had a bit of a rubbish week, with the weekend being the perfect antidote?
Tell me, what are you loving at the moment?
[“Often life’s pleasures pass us by simply because we don’t take a moment to focus on them… Make a point of noticing everyday something that uplifts your spirit or tickles your heart… Stop to breathe in the joy of this moment and then tell someone about it. Share your joy and revel in it. When your joy is savoured, and then shared, it is magnified…” ROBIN GRILLE]
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cityhippyfarmgirl 
Happy Easter Brydie! Hot Cross Buns 3 days in a row sounds a bit heavenly to me. Mine are in the oven as we speak – gluten-free this year though (wish me luck)! Secretly wish I could be making your plump sourdough ones. x
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Gluten free ones Saskia…now tell me, how do they taste? Are they still hot cross bunny? Hope your long weekend was a good one 🙂
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Oh god, they were like cinnamon bricks Brydie! People actually laughed when picking them up. The shame!
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hehehe…ahhh love it. That’s hilarious Saskia. Better luck next year? Gluten free is tricky! If it makes you feel any better I made dinner the other night, the to youngest took one look at it and decided they would rather go to bed then tackle their plate. The eldest lasted 2 minutes before deciding the same and the husband and I? Well most things taste ok when drowned in tomato sauce and good salt. A true winner.
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Hahha!!! Oh dear, that’s the ultimate insult when a kid actually chooses BED over eating. Yes, salt and tommy sauce will fix most ills (except brick buns) 😉
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I’ve been loving piles of hot cross buns too, as well as ‘cheat’s’ brioche buns, but we’ve had lots of visitors, so they didn’t last long enough for 3 meals in a row… I really want to try sourdough ones though – I haven’t been game yet – but I might try with a small amount of extra yeast like your recipe…
One of the things I love about long weekends is the opportunity for a bit of organised impromptu activity, like last night when Mr GP got back after taking Miss L and a friend bushwalking and the friend’s parents invited us for dinner with 10 min notice Instead of stressing, I was able to grab sausages I’d bought earlier that day plus a loaf of sourdough and some cheese and head over for a lovely evening of talking while the kids set up the telescope and did some star gazing 🙂
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Spontaneous meals and catch ups with good people are the best I reckon Beck. There is no build up stress of…ohhh what to make, what to take, what to bake. Just what you have and that’s usually just perfect anyway.
For the sourdough ones, just jump in, don’t be scared 🙂 Having a little back up yeast is an easy safety net and when you are making so many of them as I have in the last week, just makes it all just a smidge quicker. Don’t be nervous though, easy, promise 🙂
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you’ve convinced me 🙂 I’ll give it a try and let you know…
I assume your starter is 100%?
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Happy Easter Brydie! When I think of hot cross buns I think of you. 🙂
Thanks for this year’s recipe version.
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Aww, thanks Rose. They used to scare me a bit making them, practise certainly makes things more comfortable now though.
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Those magic moments among the drain of a rubbish week gets us through don’t they. I think as long as there is sourdough in the mix that makes it a complete meal:) I’ll give your one a go in a few weeks Brydie. I want to make that next step in to including sourdough in all my baking. Happy Easter to you all xx
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That’s precisely what I had figured Zena 🙂 It’s sourdough in there…practically a health food right??
Jump in with the sourdough stuff, it does get pretty easy incorporating it into your regular baking.
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Loving the cooler weather. Loving the sunshine in combination with the cooler weather. Loving knowing that there is even cooler weather on it’s way. Loving the earlier nights and the chooks putting themselves to bed. Loving that soon Brunhilda will awaken and my baking life will start all over again for the year.
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Now that’s a bit exciting, Autumn baking…it really is the best. Things are still in season, the temperature is gorgeous…and the chooks? Well they are in bed. Not that I have any…yet 🙂
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Love this post Brydie and I love your recipe too. You have no idea how reassuring your words are. I have had a rubbish week involving some ridiculous online bullying. Can you believe adults actually resort to this kind of behavior? Anyway, posts like yours remind me of the good things and the good people out there in the world.
At the moment I am loving tiny broccoli seeds starting to sprout in my garden x
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Jane that’s crap. Seriously. Why oh why?? Happy to reassure you (or anyone else) that yep, sometimes days/weeks really are ridiculously crap. There is, thankfully a new day/ week always at the ready though where things can be forgotten or at least squashed into a basket of bugger off for awhile. Hope this week is 100% better!
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A basket of bugger off…thank you, that is perfect advice!
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Loving my time spent with grandchildren this season- and my sister’s recovery from a fall- it is all about family and love and God’s grace in our lives. Glad that hot cross buns make a large impression in your crap week and that your children recognize your wonderful baking skills as a blessing their lives!
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They do Heidi, although sometimes they need a little prompting 😉
Enjoy that gorgeous family time. xx
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I’m so sorry you’ve had a rubbish week Brydie! I think you can get a way with hot cross buns three meals in a row… they’re HOMEMADE hot cross buns for goodness sake! 🙂 Hang in there love, hope this week is easier x
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Instantly better thanks Sam. Public holiday Mondays are an excellent start!
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I had absolutely no hot cross buns this easter NONE! In an effort to redeem myself I will now be cooking these this week. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
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