Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients: 
500g Strong Bread Flour
225ml Full Fat Milk
50g Butter
1 tsp Salt
75g Caster Sugar
7g Easy Blend Yeast
1 Egg
150g Sultanas
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Mixed Spice

To Make:

To make hot cross buns the first step is to boil the milk in a saucepan, once the milk is boiled take it off the heat and stir in the butter, setting aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl add the flour, caster sugar, salt, yeast, cinnamon and mixed spices. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, pouring in the milk and butter then add the egg. Mix well bringing the dough together with your hands.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for roughly 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place into a bowl and cover with cling film, leave to prove for one hour.

Having left the dough to rise for an hour take if out from the bowl and knead in the sultanas mixing them throughout the dough, place back into the  bowl to prove for another hour.

After the hour or once the dough has doubled in size remove from the bowl and evenly divide into 12 pieces. place on a baking tray and pipe the crosses on the buns using flour and gradually add the water to get the desired thickness for piping.

Place in oven at 200°C for 15 minutes until golden brown. For a glaze heat up apricot jam and brush on top of each hot cross bun.

Enjoy!

Creme Egg Frosted Cupcakes

Ingredients:
220g Self Raising Flour
220g Softened Butter
220g Caster Sugar
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3-4 tbsp Whole Milk

Creme Egg Frosting:
500g Icing Sugar
200g Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2 tbsp Whipping Cream
6 Creme Eggs

To Make:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Cream together the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs gradually and add the vanilla extract. 

Next fold the sifted flour into the mixture adding a little milk. Spoon the mixture evenly into 10 paper cases filling them. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden.

For the frosting, in a mixer, beat together the icing sugar and butter until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and cream and mix together. Next cut the creme eggs in half and gradually add them to the mixer increasing the speed. Continue mixing the frosting until you get the correct consistency to pipe with.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Easter Nests

Ingredients:
90g Shredded Wheat
250g Cadbury Milk Chocolate
2 Bags of Cadbury Mini Eggs

To Make:
Break up the chocolate into small cubes and melt in a bowl over a pan shimmering water. Once all the chocolate has melted add the shredded wheat, mixing together until all the chocolate has coated the shredded wheat.

Evenly spoon the chocolate shredded wheat between the 12 cupcake cases and place three of the Cadbury mini eggs on each for the decoration. Leave in the fridge for 1 hour until set.

Enjoy!

Rock Buns

Ingredients:
225g Self Raising Flour
100g Butter
50g Raisins
100g Demerara Sugar
1 Egg
2-3 tbsp Milk
Pinch of Salt

To Make:
Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the raisin, sugar, the beaten egg and the milk and stir together until a dough forms.

Lightly grease a tray a roll out 12-15 even balls, place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minute until golden brown. 

Enjoy!