Hot Cross Biscuits
Something different for Easter. This twist on the hot cross bun recipe sees a delectable biscuit bursting with citrus flavours, warm spices and dried fruit and iced with the classic cross.
Introduction
Inspired by hot-cross buns, these biscuits are full of spices, citrussy flavours and fruit.
Ingredients
| 125g | unsalted butter, softened |
| 50g | caster sugar |
| 25g | soft light brown sugar |
| 2 tsp | finely grated orange zest |
| 2 tsp | finely grated lemon zest |
| 1 | egg yolk |
| 100g | plain white flour |
| 50g | plain wholemealflour |
| 25g | cornflour |
| ½ tsp | ground cinnamon |
| ½ tsp | ground ginger |
| ¼ tsp | ground mixed spice |
| 40g | currants |
| 40g | sultanas |
| 20g | mixed peel |
| 3 tsp | apricot jam |
| 50g | icing sugar |
| 1 tsp | freshly squeezed orange juice |
| You will also need: | |
| 7 cm round metal cutter Disposable piping bag (optional) |
Essential kit
You will need a 7 cm round metal cutter.
You will need a disposable piping bag (optional).
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Mark 6 and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Cream the butter, sugars and zests. Add the egg yolk and beat well. Sift together the flours, cornflour and spices and add to the butter and egg mixture along with the dried fruit and peel and the bran left in the sieve. Mix well to combine and form a dough. Put the dough between two sheets of cling film and gently roll out to a thickness of about 5 mm.
Use a 7 cm cutter to stamp out 18 circles. Place them on the prepared trays, spacing them at least 2 cm apart, then bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gently warm the apricot jam and 1 tablespoon water in a small pan. After 10 minutes, brush the top of the biscuits with the apricot glaze. Return them to the oven to bake for a further 5 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool on their trays for 10 minutes, then use a palette knife to transfer them carefully to a wire rack. Once the biscuits are completely cold, mix together the icing sugar and orange juice. Spoon into a piping bag or freezer bag, snip off the corner to give a hole about 2mm wide, and pipe a cross on top of each biscuit. Leave to set.
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