Traditional hot cross buns

Ingredients

1 cup milk
½ cup Western Star thickened cream (see Tips)
2 ½ teaspoons instant dried yeast
1/3 cup caster sugar
4 cups plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon salt
80 g Western Star Chef’s Choice Unsalted Cultured Butter (see Tips)
2 cups sultanas (see Tips)
1 egg, whisked
Extra ½ cup plain flour
½ cup water
1 teaspoon gelatine
Extra 1 tablespoon caster sugar
Western Star Spreadable Original, to serve

Method

Combine milk and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until luke-warm. Pour into a jug. Add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Whisk with a fork until combined. Stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
Sift flour, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large bowl. Stir through salt and remaining sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir through sultanas. Add yeast mixture and egg. Stir until well combined and a soft dough forms.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough into a greased bowl and cover with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap. Stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 30 cm x 20 cm lamington pan. Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes, then divide into 3 equal pieces. Divide each portion into 5 (making 15 buns). Roll each portion into a bun and place, side by side, into prepared pan. Stand in a warm place for 20 minutes or until risen.
Sift extra flour in a small bowl. Stir in ½ cup water until a smooth paste forms. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip (3mm). Pipe crosses onto each bun. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden, risen and cooked through.
Meanwhile, just before the buns are finished cooking, combine gelatine, extra sugar and 1 tablespoon boiling water in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to dissolve. Brush mixture over buns while still hot. Transfer buns to a wire rack to cool or serve warm with Western Star Spreadable.

Tips & Hints

Cream creates a richer hot cross bun, however you can substitute this with milk if you prefer.
You can also use Western Star Spreadable Original in the recipe instead of the Chef’s Choice Unsalted Cultured Butter.
For fruit-free hot cross buns, simply omit the sultanas. This will make 12 buns instead of 15.
Apple and Blueberry Hot Cross Buns: Replace sultanas with apples and blueberries. Peel, core and grate 1 x 200 g Granny Smith apple. Using your hands, squeeze juice from apple. Use grated apple and 2 x 70 g packets dried blueberries.
Apricot and Pecan Hot Cross Buns: Replace sultanas with ½ cup roughly chopped pecans and 1 ½ cups diced dried apricots.
Cranberry and Currant Hot Cross Buns: Replace sultanas with 1 ¼ cups roughly chopped craisins and ½ cup currants.