Mango & Fruit-Tea Hot Cross Buns
The first song we usually learn in band is the nursery rhyme "Hot Cross Buns" and because of this, I was never interested in eating them. In the last year, Cobs Bread Bakery would advertise their hot cross buns that seemed delightful and reminded me sweet Asian milk bread. To me, Easter was always just hiding chocolates and bunnies but I thought it would be fun to try something new and use more of my tea.
I chose Tea Leaves' "Mad Hatter" that has a velvety combination of bright and flowery Ceylon with passionfruit, pomegranate, and vanilla that is fruity and not the usual classic tea. That's why I chose to use dried cantaloupe, papaya, apricot and mangoes to compliment the fruity tea.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup full-fat milk
- 3 teaspoons “Mad Hatter” tea
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup berry sugar (caster sugar)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 8g sachet fast-action yeast
- 1 egg, beaten
- 75g dried mangoes, cut into small pieces
- 25g variety dried fruit (cantaloupe, apricot, papaya), cut into small pieces
- zest 1 orange
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- For the cross
- 75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/4 cup steeped tea, mad hatter
- For the glaze
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
Instructions
- Bring the milk to the boil, remove from heat then add the tea leaves. Allow it to steep for 5-7 minutes then strain into a bowl and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. The milk would probably have reduced in volume.
- Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough. (if the dough is too dry/flaky, add a splash of milk)
- Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heel of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.
- With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the dried fruit/mango, orange zest, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.
- Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on a baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.
- Heat oven to 425F. Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 15 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.
- Gently heat the apricot jam to melt. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.