Guyanese Hot Cross Buns

You will need:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast (or instant)

2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/ 2 cup warm whole milk

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/ 4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/ 4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/ 2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)

1/ 3 cup currants For the glaze:

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/ 2 cup icing sugar

1/ 4 cup whole milk Equipment:

1 medium bowl

1 large bowl, oiled Plastic wrap or kitchen towel

1 (13 x 9-inch) baking dish, brushed with oil

2 small bowls

1 pastry brush

1 small whisk

1 tablespoon

1 large baking tray/sheet

1 wire rack

1 flat spatula

Method:

Add sugar to bowl along with milk and stir to dissolve sugar. Toss in yeast and give a little stir (be sure to wipe off any yeast stuck on the spoon), cover and leave to proof for

10 minutes in a warm place. Add flour to bowl along with ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt and stir to mix thoroughly; toss in raisins and mix. Make a well in the center

of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast-milk mixture and mix to form dough. Once formed, knead the dough for 2 minutes, place in an oiled bowl, cover and put in a warm place to rise for 1-1/ 2 hours or until the dough has more than doubled in size.

Punch down risen dough and knead for 2 minutes and then cut dough into equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place in oiled baking dish. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F with the rack in the middle 20 minutes before the 1 hour of rising is complete.

Add 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water to small bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Brush risen dough with sugar-water and transfer dish to the oven. Bake for 12 minutes; brush with sugar-water and bake for another 12 minutes. Brush again with sugar-water and bake for 3 minutes.

Remove dish from oven, place on wire rack and brush a few times with sugar-water and leave to cool in the dish for 10 – 12 minutes. Use your spatula to pry the buns from the pan and transfer to wire rack then place the wire rack on the baking sheet/ tray and let buns continue to cool.

Meanwhile, add icing sugar and milk to a bowl and whisk to dissolve.

Using a tablespoon, drizzle the glaze all over the buns – on the top and sides. Let buns continue to cool until you are ready to serve them.