Easter Buns

Happy Easter Baking. Here it comes.
This year, I decided not to put a cross on my buns as I was in a bit of a rush making these buns on the Easter day itself.  Yes, last minute baking. This is a very easy recipe and the buns taste and smell just like the British favourite "hot cross buns." Happy Easter, everyone.  :)

Ingredients

• 250g strong white flour  
• 20g caster sugar
• 7g easy-action yeast
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 50g unsalted butter softened or low-fat spread
• 80ml milk
• zest of 1 orange
• 100g sultanas
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Put all the ingredients, apart from the sultanas, in a bowl and mix together with an electric whisk with dough hooks for about 5 minutes until the dough becomes a ball. If the dough struggles to come together add 10ml more milk to make it very sticky. 
2. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the dough in a warm place until it doubles in size. 
   
   
3. Knock down the air and mix in the sultanas with your hands with some oil.
4. Shape the dough and place it in the baking tray and bake in a preheated oven (160c fan) for 10 minutes.
5. Turn down the temperature of the oven to 140c and bake for another 20 minutes.
6. Take the bread from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Then brush with syrup (some sugar and water). Decorate with icing.

Spiced Apple Muffins

Apple and spices like cinnamon and ginger are a great combo.
I add the spices quite generously as I love the flavour of them.
Chopped apple pieces make the muffins moist but keep them light.
I found if I mix grated apple rather than chopped apples the muffins turn out quite dense. I prefer light muffins like these.
Make sure to add the apple pieces into the dry mixture first to stop the apple pieces sinking to the bottom.
These are great to enjoy when they are still warm.

Ingredients

• 200g Plain flour
• 100g Caster sugar
• 50g Soft brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Baking powder
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon powder 
• 2 teaspoons Ginger powder
• ¼  teaspoon Salt
• 90ml Milk
• 80ml Vegetable oil
• 1 large Egg, beaten
• 2 large Apples - peeled, cored and chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 C / 180 C (Fan) and add paper cases to a muffin tray.
2. Measure out flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Mix the dry ingredients well and then add the chopped apples. Make sure the apple pieces are well coated by the flour mixture.
4. In a separate jug, mix milk, oil, and egg. Stir until just combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in but do not over mix.
6. Fill the muffin cases equally. 
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.