Hot Cross Buns#BreadBakers

These Hot Cross Buns were perfect and delicious.   They were on my to do list for a long time.  At last I, made  six buns and in my house, the aroma / smell  as they were  baking was soooo good . 

Makes 6  buns
Ingredients
For the Buns
300 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Sachet Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Heaped Caster Sugar
 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg½ Teaspoon Salt
¾ Cup Warm Milk or as required
30 Grams Unsalted Butter - softened
1 Egg - lightly beaten 

1 Teaspoon Orange zest
20 Grams Candied Mixed Peel
30 Grams Golden raisins or Currants
For the Egg Wash 
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon Milk
For Crosses
50 grams All purpose flour
1 Teaspoon Caster Sugar
50+ -  Ml Water

Method 

In the  food processor combine the flour, yeast, sugar  and salt. Add the milk, butter, egg, and mix.  Knead the dough until it is silky smooth and elastic.

Now take the dough on to the work surface add the candied peel,currants, and 

knead till incorporated and then add spices,orange zest. 

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough once, so the top is lightly greased. 

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size.

Deflate the dough, divide into 6 equal pieces.  

Form each piece into a round ball and place on a oiled baking tray until they double in size. 

Make an egg wash of the beaten egg with  milk and with a pastry brush, brush the tops and sides of the buns.

For the crosses

Whisk the flour and sugar with enough water until it is of piping consistency. Place in a piping bag, fitted with a small plain tip ( I added a litter more water and the batter became runny )  pipe crosses on each bun.

Bake them in a preheat oven to  200°C about  18 - 20 minutes, or until the buns are nicely browned. 

Brush them with butter and place on a wire rack to cool completely .

These came out lovely, soft and delicious.

Labels : Breads, Easter Breads, Bread Bakers, Candied Fruits, Golden Raisins, Black Currants 
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the Bread Bakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla has selected Easter breads from around the world as our theme.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread) by Making Miracles
Easy Glazed Baked Donuts by Shockingly Delicious
Folar da Páscoa, a Less-Than-Traditional Version by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
German Osterbrot Easter Bread by Ambrosia
Hot Cross Buns by Sneha's Recipe
Polish Babka by A Messy Kitchen
Kalach (Hungarian Easter Bread) by Passion Kneaded
Kozunak (Bulgarian Easter Bread) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Russian Kulich - Easter Bread by Food Lust People Love
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Sourdough Ukrainian Paska by Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Sorrel/Hibiscus Fruit Bundt#BundtBakers

Sorrel /Hibiscus, also known as Flor De Jamaica (pronounced HA-maica), sorrel, Ambadi flowers, karkade and other names in different countries is an edible flower sold most often in dehydrated form abroad, here we get fresh flowers and only in this season. 

To make this cake, I soaked the flowers by steeping them in boiling water, honey,  for about 2 - 3 hours. 

Once soaked, I removed the petals of the flowers, strained the liquid and then just pulsed the petals it in the blender.  

The flowers were vibrant and saturated with not so  deep "ruby red" liquid as the flowers looked.  Dried flowers impart more red color than the fresh ones.

This cake was  delicious and  when I took this for our breakfast party no one believed that this was made of the flowers that we see every day in the forest. 

This cake did not have the color, that I, wanted , however, it was  delicious as any cake could be!

Ingredients 
30 Sorrel/ hibiscus flowers (see notes)
½  Cup Boiling Water
3 Tablespoons honey
200 Grams All-purpose flour
1 Teaspoons Baking powder 
½ Teaspoon Baking soda
150 Grams Salted Butter, at room temperature
150 Grams Caster sugar
3 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla essence
125 Grams Mixed Fruits

Method

Combine the flowers, boiling water, honey, in small bowl, mashing with fork to ensure flowers absorb liquid evenly. Allow flowers to steep until softened and liquid has been almost completely absorbed, about 2 to 3 hours.  

Once soaked, I removed the petals of the flowers, strained the liquid and then just pulsed the petals it in the blender. 

I had 275 Ml sorrel Puree with the Honey.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda,  set aside. 

In large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, continue to beat until completely incorporated. 

Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the puree. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula. Fold the mixture well. Add vanilla and mixed fruits,  mix just to combine.

Pour batter into prepared 10" bundt pan. Bake  in a preheated oven at 170°C for 35 to 40 minutes or until, cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. 

Transfer cake to cooling and cool in pan overnight.  Invert cake onto plate . 

Slice the cake,

Enjoy!!

My Notes

Dried flowers impart more red color then fresh. Next time I, am going to make this with dried flowers and double the quantity. 
For the mixed fruits , I used candied cherries, mixed peels, raisins and nuts.

See what our other bakers have baked this month , the theme is "Fruit Bundt" our host is Stacy Thank you for hosting this event.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.


Applejack Bundt Cake from Palatable Pastime
Cake aux Fruit Bundt from Patyco Candybar
Cranberry and Apricot Fruit Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
Dried Fruit and Pecan Bundt Cake from I Love Bundts
Dried Fruit Bundt Cake from Living the Gourmet
Gram's Famous Fruit Cake from Food Lust People Love
Macadamia and Tropical Fruit Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
Sorrel/Hibiscus Fruit Cake from Sneha's Recipe
Spiced Rum Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.
Labels: Sorrel Flowers, Candied Fruits, Bundt, Bundt Bakers, Honey

STOLLEN BREAD #BREADBAKERS

 This month our Host Stacy Livingston Rushton , the initiator of Bread Bakers group has choosen the theme - yeast bread that is sweetened and appropriate for Christmas.  My first choice was this Stollen bread which was on my mind for a long time since  I,  read about  history of this bread in  our church mazagine which am sharing with you.  

Stollen is a bread like cake traditionally made in Germany, usually eaten at Chirstmas time as Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen . It is a light airy fruit cake leavened with yeast and is believed to have been invented during the 14th century in Dresden, Germany.

The shape of the cake was originally meant to represent Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.

When stollen was first made the ingredients were very different, the advent season was a time of fasting and preparation and so the bakers were not allowed to use butter, only oil. 

Prince Elector Ernst and his brother Duke Albrecht decided to remedy this by writing to the then Pope, Pope Innocent X. They explained to the Pope that the Saxon bakers needed to use butter instead of oil which was so expensive and hard to come by. The Pope in 1490 sent a letter to the prince know as the "Butter Letter" which granted the use of butter (without having to pay a fine) - but only for Prince Elector and his household. Every year as Stollenfest takes place in Dresden. 

This historical tradition ended only in 1918 with the fall of monarchy and started again in 1994, but the idea come from Dresden's history. 

There are many variants to the Stollen bread. One can omit the fruits and nuts and use only the raisins, even the marzipan rope is optional.  I have made simple Stollen Bread ... let's make this bread

Ingredients
FRUIT MIX (Make three days ahead of time)
2 Tablespoons Raisins
2 Tablespoons Chopped Glazed Cherries
4 Tablespoons Chopped Mixed Fruit Candied peel
2 Tablespoons Chopped Walnuts
2 Tablespoons Chopped Almonds
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cashewnut
30 Ml Rum
30 ML Brandy

For the Dough
2.1/2 Cups Heaped All Purpose Flour

1.1/4 Teaspoon Rapid Rising Yeast
1 Tablespoon Milk Powder
75 Grams Butter - I used salted
2.1/2 Tablespoons Sugar powder
2 Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Warm Milk
1/3 Cup Warm Water - less or more

1 Teaspoon Cake Spice Mix - Homemade

1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method
FOR THE FRUIT MIX
Combine all ingredients and let soak at room temperature for at least three days.
For the Dough

Before you start kneading the dough- place the soaked fruits into a strainer and drain out all the liquid.

In a bowl add the flour, milk powder, yeast and sugar , mix it well. Add in the eggs, vanilla essence and mix well, then add the  milk, water gradually,  knead to form smooth, soft dough ( if necessary add more water),  slightly slack / loose dough . This dough is a rich and sticky dough, do not be tempted to add more flour,  just take this dough on to a lightly dusted  work surface,  rub in the salt and butter into the dough gradually ( do not knead the dough too vigorously, just rub it in the fat) till you get a smooth and soft  dough.

Lightly dust the table surface and roll out the dough into an oval 10 inches in length, sprinkle the fruit mixture, press into the dough. Roll this dough lightly into a ball.

Place the entire loaf onto a well greased baking tin and leave it to prove till double in size. While the dough is proving, pre heat the oven to 200 degrees.

Lightly brush the dough with egg wash and bake at 200 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter and let it cool for a few minutes, then take it off from the baking tray and dredge it with icing sugar (this is optional ).

When the bread was baking in the oven it rose too much to my amazement.   It got  a dark brown color on the surface,  since it was too close to the top element of the oven.. but it  was not burnt.  

When I was removing it form the tin it broke into half ( my heart to broke ... cried my beautiful bread .... broke ).

Nevertheless it tasted great..  cut slices of it and buttered it , took it for my friends the next morning , had it with tea... they all enjoyed this beautiful fruity and pillowy soft Stollen Bread.

Labels:   Candied Fruits, Christmas Bread, Germany, Breads, Bread Bakers

Take a look at what our other bakers have made...

American-Style Panettone from Passion Kneaded
Beehive Bread from Sara's Tasty Buds
Candied Fruit Sweet Rolls from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Chestnut Roll Wreath from Food Above Gold
Chocolate Cherry Brioche Buns from Baking Sense
Chocolate Swirl Babka from Cook's Hideout
Cranberry Sweet Rolls from Food Lust People Love
Estonian Kringle from I Camp in my Kitchen
Finnish Nissua Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
Fruit & Nut Sourdough from What Smells So Good?
Ginger Orange Stollen from SpiceRoots
Holiday Wreath with Sweet Nut Filling from Hostess At Heart
Kugelhopf from Ambrosia
Marzipan Stollen from Palatable Pastime
St. Lucia Buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Stollen Bread from Sneha's Recipe
Sweet Milk Dinner Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Here’s the html for the wording: #BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.