Dark Oolong Hot Cross Buns

Add a bit of adventure to Easter – the smoky aroma from Dark Oolong tea brings an additional flavour to the spices of traditional hot cross buns.

Ingredients you will need

Dough
• 3 tsp active yeast
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1¼ cups warm milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tsp mixed spice
• 2 Tsp finely ground Zealong Dark Oolong (use a coffee grinder or pedal and mortar)
• 50g butter
• 1 cup sultanas
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tsp cinnamon

Crosses
• 1 cup flour
• Coldwater

Glaze
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tsp sugar
• 1 Tsp water

Instructions

Instructions

1. Soak sultanas in milk or water for 15 minutes.
2. Add yeast to bowl with 1 tsp flour and 1 tsp white sugar. Add warm (not hot) milk and whisk gently and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Sift the remaining dough flour into a large, clean bowl. Combine with spices, salt and Zealong Dark Oolong. Once blended, add in softened butter, brown sugar and sultanas.
4. Add beaten egg to yeast mixture and combine into the flour mixture.
5. Place dough on a floured surface and kneed well until it becomes smooth and stretchy.
6. Leave the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap for at least an hour, until it doubles in size.
7. Divide dough into 16 even-sized pieces and roll into a smooth ball.
8. Place buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper 1-2 cm apart. Cover and allow to rise further for another 20 minutes
9. Preheat oven to 180°C. Mix cross mixture together. Pipe a cross on top of each bun and bake for 25 minutes.
10. Beat glaze together, brush onto tops and pop in the oven for an extra minute.

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