HOT cross buns have always been popular in the run up to Easter but Aldi has produced a recipe for one which really will ‘keep your spirits up’ during these testing times.
Forget sultanas and cinnamon and instead, to add the bulk of the flavour use Aldi’s Sea Dog Premium Spiced Rum.
And for extra zing you can add some orange zest to complement the rum’s warming spices.
Ingredients
(Makes 16)
300ml Whole Milk
50g British Unsalted Butter
575g Plain Flour
Table Salt
75g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 egg
Sea Dog Premium Spiced Rum
1 Orange
75g Sultanas
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
Method
1. Boil 300ml of milk on a low heat
2. In a separate pan, place 50g of butter over a low heat until melted
3. Mix the warmed milk and melted butter in a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.
4. In a separate bowl, mix 500g of flour, 1 tsp of salt,the caster sugar caster sugar and baking powder
5. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, adding the beaten egg
6. Add in a splash of the rum (be as generous as you wish!)
7. Combine the ingredients together to form a sticky dough and place onto a floured surface
8. Knead until the mixture becomes smooth and springy and then place the dough into a flour-covered bowl
9. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for one hour until the mixture has doubled in size
10. Once the dough has risen, place the mixture back onto a floured surface
11. Tip in the sultanas, ground cinnamon and grated orange zest (optional), and knead this into the dough
12. Divide the dough into 16 squares and on a floured surface, roll these squares into balls
13. Line these balls onto a baking tray and cover with a damp tea towel to allow the balls to prove for another hour until they have doubled in size
14. Add 5tbsp of water, 1tbsp at a time, to 75g of plain flour to make the paste for the cross
15. Use this mixture to then pipe two lines across the top of the buns to make a cross on each, using a piping bag or a spoon
16. Place the buns in the oven at 200c/gas 7 for 20 minutes
17. Melt 2tbsp of golden syrup in a pan and brush over the top of the buns whilst they’re still warm
18. Set aside to cool on a wire rack
