Hot Cross Buns With Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

950g plain flour, divided
2 packets active dry yeast
90g Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
300ml milk
100g butter
2 eggs, beaten
140g currants or raisins
60g candied peel (opt)
1 Egg yolk mixed with 2 tbsp Water
90g cream cheese, softened
190g icing sugar
1 tsp milk

Method:

Combine 400g of flour with the yeast, sugar, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. In a small pan heat the milk and butter until very warm and add to flour mix. Beat on medium speed of mixer for 1 minute then add the eggs. Beat for a further minute then stir-in the currants, peel and enough remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.

Turn the dough out onto lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes), adding additional flour as needed. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turning to cover with butter. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in warm place until doubled in volume (about 1 hour). Knock the dough back, then turn onto a lightly-floured surface. Divide the dough in half then divide each half into 9 equal pieces.

Form each piece into a smooth round ball and place the balls of dough on two well-buttered 20cm-square baking trays. Cover the trays and allow the dough to rise in warm place until doubled in volume (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). Brush lightly with the egg yolk mixture then place the rolls in an oven pre-heated to 190° for between 20 and 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the trays and cool on a wire rack.

Make a frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl, until smooth. Add just enough milk so the frosting is liquid enough to be drizzled. use the frosting to form a cross shape across the top of each bun.

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