Cinnamon Fruit Yeast Buns

These  bułeczki – little yeast buns – are based on an English recipe for hot cross buns, which are made for Good Friday.

I love the addition of a chopped eating apple and grated orange rind.

These take most of the day to make – best done on a day you are in with other things to do in between.

Ingredients

• 330ml of milk (might need a little more)
• 50g butter
• 500g strong bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 75g caster sugar
• 7g sachet of dried yeast
• 1 egg beaten
• 75g sultanas
• 50g mixed peel
• Grated rind of an orange
• 1 eating apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 + 1/2  teaspoons of cinnamon
• *
• For the glaze
• 2 tablespoons of apricot jam

Method

• Bring the milk to the boil.
• Add the butter and leave till hand-warm.
• Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl.
• Make a well in the centre, add the milk and butter and then the egg.
• Mix with a wooden spoon.
• Bring the mixture together with your hands to form a sticky dough.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for around 5 minutes.
• Put the dough into an oiled bowl
• Cover with a shower cap (very useful these!) or cloth.
• Leave to rise until doubled in size.
• *
• In a bowl mix together the sultanas, mixed peel, orange rind, apple and cinnamon.
• Add this mixture to the risen dough and knead until it is all well distributed.
• Cover again and leave to rise until doubled in size.
• *
• Cover a large baking tray with greaseproof.
• Divide the dough into 15 even pieces.
• Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured surface.
• Arrange the balls on the baking tray with some room for expansion.
• Cover loosely with a cloth and leave to prove – for around one hour.
• *
• Preheat the oven to GM7 – 220°C.
• Bake for around 20 minutes until the buns are golden brown.
• *
• Gently heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan.
• Brush the jam over the tops of the small buns.

Delicious on their own or buttered!