Hot cross buns are traditional favourites at Easter and the almonds make them just a little special.

Ingredients

• 1½ cup milk (or use half milk and half water)
• 1½ tsp salt
• 100 grams soft butter (not melted)
• grated rind 2 lemons
• 4 cups flour
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 5 tsp bread machine or Surebake yeast
• ¾ cup (70 gram packet) flaked almonds
• ½ cup mixed peel or use a light fruit medley
• 100 grams marzipan
• beaten egg or milk to glaze (optional)
• 1 sheet pre-rolled sweet short pastry

Sugar Glaze

• 2 tblsp hot water
• 3 tblsp caster sugar

Method

1. Put the ingredients into a bread machine in the following order, milk (or milk and water), salt, butter, lemon rind, flour, sugar and yeast. Set the machine to dough.
2. Once the dough is ready turn out on a floured board and deflate gently. Scatter over the almonds and mixed peel or fruit medley and knead in gently. Then cover and allow to rest for a further 10 minutes. This will make it easier to shape the dough into buns.
3. Divide the marzipan into 16 even pieces and flatten to a disc the size of an old 20 cent coin.
4. Divide the rested into 16 even pieces. Place a marzipan disc in the centre and bring the edges together to enclose, turn over so that the join is underneath. If you can, gently roll the dough around in a cupped hand on the board to make a tight ball that has a smooth top.
5. Place in even rows on a greased or baking paper-lined tray about 2 cm apart. Cover with a clean light cloth and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes until well-risen, or doubled in size.
6. Brush with beaten egg or milk to glaze if wished. Cut the pastry sheet into long, thin strips and trim so crosses fit across each bun.
7. Bake at 200ºC for 20-25 minutes until golden and sound hollow when tapped from underneath. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cake rack to cool. This also prevents the buns from going soggy. Brush with glaze, by dissolving the sugar in the hot water. These are best served warm. These buns will stay moist for 2-3 days, reheat to serve.
8. To Make By Hand: Mix the yeast and milk (or milk and water) together and set aside for 10 until light and frothy. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the frothy yeast mixture, sugar, butter and lemon rind and using your hand bring together to make a soft dough. Add more flour or water if needed. Turn out and knead firmly for 10-15 minutes until the dough is supple. Cover with a clean towel and leave for 45-60 minutes until double in bulk. Deflate the dough gently and knead in the dried fruit and nuts. Rest the dough a further 10-15 minutes and then shape as for buns and continue as above.
9. By Food Processor: Prepare the yeast as above. Place all ingredients into a food processor (excepting the fruit and nuts) and with the motor running, pour the yeast mixture down the feed tube to make a soft dough that easily rolls around the blade. Add more water or flour if necessary. Process only one minute and then turn out. Bring together on a floured board, cover and rest one hour until double in bulk. Continue as above.

Cooks Tips

Fruit medley is a dried fruit mix prepared by Tasti. It contains light fruit such as dried apples and apricots. Alternatively use a dried mixed fruit. Use proper marzipan (almond paste) not almond flavoured icing paste as it melts during the cooking. Look for Odense marzipan. It is readily available in most good supermarkets.