Hot Cross Bikkies

Hot Cross Bikkies

The ‘specialness’ of Hot Cross buns only being available at Easter seems to have diminished greatly in recent years with supermarkets filling their shelves with them soon after Christmas, or worse still, before! Likewise, many traditions like the sharing of hot cross buns to ensure friendship throughout the following year have sadly gone by the board and others, like hanging a hot cross bun in the kitchen to protect against fires and to ensure that all breads turned out perfectly, have long been forgotten. By the way, the hanging bun was, apparently, replaced just once a year! What wonderful ancient folklore we have in Great Britain.

So, this year when we visit friends on Good Friday, I will be taking something a little different to share - my Hot Cross Bikkies. They are warmly spiced, just like a traditional bun, with a hint of citrus and succulent with dried fruit and, more importantly, are easy to make. Here’s how –

Lurpak Cook's Range

125g unsalted butter (I used the new Lurpak Baking Butter)

75g soft brown sugar

The zest of one whole orange

1 egg yolk

200g Spelt flour

25g custard powder

1 tsp mixed spice

¼ tsp ground ginger

100g mixed dried fruit

For the topping:

50g icing sugar

1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Stamp out approx. 18 circles

Preheat oven to 200C (190C fan), Gas mark 6 and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

Cream the butter, sugar and zest and then beat in egg yolk.

Sift the flour with the custard powder and spices and combine with the creamed mixture, along with the dried fruit, to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for 20 mins to chill.

Then, place the dough between two sheets of baking parchment, and roll out to approximately 5mm in thickness and stamp out rounds using a 7cm cutter.

Place them (about 18) on the prepared trays, and bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool on their trays for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Finally, when biscuits are completely cold, mix icing sugar with the orange juice and pipe a cross on the top of each biscuit.

Happy Easter!

The Pink Whisk in conjunction with Two Little Fleas Easter Bakes entry.