When I came across this recipe for Hot Cross Buns, my immediate thought was that it sounded much too nice to be reserved for Easter ! I must admit, I haven't experimented with different types of eggs much. We've recently started buying our eggs from one of Madhouse Daddy's colleagues who has started keeping chickens and even the kids have noticed that they have a stronger flavour and a much yellower yolk than the eggs we buy in the supermarket.
Posh Birds, suppliers of quality eggs who created the recipe, explain : "This scrumptious flavour combination is a little bit different from the norm, just like our specialty eggs, and is a real treat when served fresh from the oven with indulgent Amaretto butter. These delicious buns use Posh Birds duck eggs which are great for baking as the whites are stronger and hold their shape better - the flavour, consistency and texture of these good quality, rare breed duck eggs are far superior to any others."
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Posh Birds Cherry & Marzipan Hot Cross Bun Recipe
Makes 12
For the buns:
75g caster sugar
1 tbsp dried yeast
450g plain flour
1 tsp sea salt
100g dried cherries
75ml milk, warmed
1/2 tsp almond essence
1 Posh Birds duck egg
100g butter, melted and cooled
1 Posh Birds hen egg, beaten
To decorate:
75-100g marzipan
To serve:
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
500g icing sugar
50ml milk
1tsp Amaretto liqueur
1 Make the hot cross buns. Measure 150ml lukewarm water in a jug and stir in 1 tsp caster sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and set aside for 30 minutes until the yeast starts to activate and the top looks foamy.
2 Mix the flour, salt, cherries and remaining sugar together in a large bowl. In a jug or separate bowl stir the warm milk, almond essence, duck egg and melted butter together. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the milk mixture and yeasted liquid. Stir everything together to make a rough dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm place to rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
3 Take the dough out of the bowl and knead again to knock back. Divide evenly into 12 balls and shape each into a round bun. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Leave plenty of space in between each to expand. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan oven/gas mark 6.
4 Brush the beaten egg all over the buns and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
5 Roll the marzipan out to about 5mm thickness, then cut into strips to make the cross on top of the buns. Place on top of the buns, then use a blowtorch or grill to toast the marzipan until golden all over.
6 To serve, beat the butter in a bowl to soften, and then slowly add the icing sugar, a couple of spoonfuls at a time. Beat in the milk and Amaretto. Split the hot cross buns in half then toast and serve with the butter.
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