HOME MADE HOT CROSS BUNS

500 grams refined flour
1 teaspoon dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
50 grams butter
50 grams sultanas or raisins
50 grams black currants
2 tablespoons sugar
400 ml milk
2 eggs beaten

Disolve the yeast in a little warm milk. Put flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon powder, sultanas / raisins, black currants into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the butter, milk, yeast and egg and knead till the dough is soft and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave aside for 2 hours by which time the dough would have doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and knead again. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Flatten them a little and place on a greased baking tray taking care to leave sufficient space between each bun. Cover and keep aside for 45 minutes till the dough rises again.

Make crosses with strips of dough and carefully place on each bun. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 deg C for about 20 minutes.

EASTER CAKE AND MIXED FRUIT FRITTERS

EASTER FRUIT CAKE

Serves 6 Preparation time 1 hour

300 grams plain flour or maida A pinch of salt

250 grams butter 250 grams sugar (powdered)

300 grams mixed dried fruit (chopped into small pieces and soaked in rum for 2 months)

1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind 2 eggs beaten well

½ cup cold milk 1 teaspoon baking powder

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a big bowl. Mix in the butter and rub finely with the fingertips to form crumbs. Add the sugar, chopped fruit and orange rind and mix well. Add the milk and eggs and using a fork mix to a semi stiff batter without churning or beating. When evenly mixed pour the mixture into a greased and papered cake tin and bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes or till the cake is cooked inside and brown on the top.


MIXED FRUIT FRITTERS

200 grams refined flour / Maida
100 grams sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 cup chopped mixed fruit such as apple, pineapple, banana etc
½ teaspoon salt
oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients together to a thick smooth batter. Heat oil in a deep pan till smoky. Drop a tablespoon of the batter at a time into the hot oil and fry till golden brown.

Serve plain or with vanilla Icecream