Hot Cross Loaf

This is something a little different to the usual hot cross buns. This would be yummy freshly baked on Easter morning. You can let the mixture rise overnight in the fridge, knock down in the morning and rise for another 30-45 minutes before baking. Fresh is best though I find with bread.

This recipe does have bread improver in it. If I'm making bread for friends and don't want to risk it being a flop I'll add just a little in. Perfect soft fluffy bread every time! The key to having this nice and soft is to knead for 6 minutes, double rise and bread improver. See my bread tips here.

I have sliced this and now have it in the freezer. Mr 4 year old loves it toasted in the morning for breakfast.

Ignore the piping. Silly me piped it before putting into the oven which was a bit too early. Its best to bake it slightly then pipe it. I wanted to make a new one to photograph but my partner said no given we still have this loaf in the freezer and heading away on holidays in the next few days (so he is to blame for the awful photo! haha).



Hot Cross Loaf
By: The road to loving my Thermo Mixer
Bread:
300mls water
4 teas dried yeast
1/2 tablespoon of fine orange zest (or mixed peel if preferred)
60g butter, softened
520g bakers flour
2 teaspoons bread improver
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
45g honey
15g brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground spice*
110g sultanas

Cross:
4 tablespoons water, you may need more
4 tablespoons self raising flour

Glaze:
60g water
40g sugar
1 teas ground cinnamon


Place water and yeast into bowl.
Cook at 37 degrees, speed 2 for 2 mins.
Add butter, flour, salt, honey, sugar, egg, spices and zest.
Blitz on speed 7 for 5 seconds.
Lock lid and knead for 6 minutes.
Add sultanas.
Knead for 30 seconds or until just combined. It will be a slightly sticky dough but workable. Please see photo below.
Place in an oiled bowl and place somewhere warm for one hour or until doubled in size.
Remove dough from bowl and shape it into a log shape and place into desired loaf tin. You can spread this out across two smaller tins or perhaps use half for a loaf and half for small hot cross buns.
Again, put it in a warm spot and let it double in size, approximately 30-45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Cook bread for approximately 30 minutes and meanwhile make the cross batter.
Add flour and water into clean bowl.
Blitz on speed 4 until well combined. Add a drizzle of extra water if needed to thin it slightly. Be sure not to thin it too much however.
Place batter into piping bag or in my case, a zip lock bag. Snip the corner and pipe a cross on the loaf after the 30 minutes of baking.
Pop back into the oven and bake for a further 25-20 minutes.
Add the glaze ingredients into the bowl. Cook at 100 degrees, speed 2 for 4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove cooked bread from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Place onto a cooling rack.
Carefully brush with the hot sugar syrup. After 5 minutes repeat the sugar syrup again. This will give it an extra shine.
Allow to cool slightly before cutting.


* I used the YIAH Pumpkin Pie spice blend however any mixed spice blend will work. Or just add a little ground ginger and ground nutmeg if you don't have a mixed spice blend.