Freelance Book Designer

Hot cross buns, one a penny…

Happy Easter!

My childhood egg cup, still in my collection of things. I love the spotty legs and Mary Janes


I love Easter: the time of year, the over indulgence of chocolate eggs, four day weekends and above all Hot Cross Buns. So I decided weeks ago that I was going to make my own HXBs come hell or high water.
With perfect timing SNH presented me with a gift of a new lens for our Canon EOS 40D, a Canon nifty 50 lens. I am forever trying to get more light in my images and a shallower depth of field and this lens is exactly what I needed. Just in time to document my first ever attempt at baking any type of bread product!

The recipe I used was found on the Gourmet Traveller’s Website

Measure and sift

I strayed from the recipe here, as I don't like rind in my HXBs so I used orange zest instead

Using the dough hook on the KitchenAid for the first time

SNH helps out and kneads the dough

Dough ready to be put aside and left to rise

Dough balls in tray, looking a little messy - dough possibly too dry?

Ta da! The final product, served with tea and a choccie egg

So they worked! They’re not lead balls, just a little ugly.
They could do with a little more taste as well, in parts they are plain (without the glaze) that’s possibly due to me removing the orange peel, but I refuse to believe that orange peel provides that much flavour.

And the good part? I would do it again!