Buns

It being Good Friday meant that part of today was spent making hot cross buns. That is to say something like hot cross buns, less the cross, less the sugar glaze and less the egg in the dough. The first because I am not a cross person, the second because I thought the buns had quite enough calories in them without painting some more on top and the third because I thought the egg unnecessary. Otherwise, a version of the recipe provided by one Mary Berry, with a pound of flour working out at two pounds of dough.

The buns were not as neat and round as the factory version, as I had I found it quite difficult to mould the dough neatly, what with all the currents and peel.

Plus, they were not as light and fluffy as the factory version, a problem I have with my white bread. Still not got to the bottom of it, despite making white bread occasionally over the years, to vary the diet from the brown, which turns out better. And darker than the factory version, despite being made with white flour, probably because of the higher spice content, that is to say, cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg. 

Taken with a little butter, taking care not to crunch down on the peel, some of which had cooked very hard. A danger to one's fillings.

Nine of the twelve taken at the first sitting, with a further one taken in the course of the evening.

Maybe next time I will try adding the egg back in. Maybe it will help with the rise and the texture.

PS 1: process speeded up by proving in the warm afternoon sun, both airing cupboard and house being cool by comparison.

PS 2: the eleventh bun was taken with breakfast the following morning. Possibly a better taste than the previous afternoon. Better developed flavour with the passage of time... Like some cakes, and like my brown bread, at least some of the time.