My first batch didn’t come out so good. I burnt the bottoms of them because I was so worried that they were under cooked. They tasted okay but a bit bland and definitely not sweet enough. It was time for me to rethink the process and ingredients.

I decided that the hot cross buns needed more sugar, I wasn’t going to use an egg and that I would add the fruit in at the end of kneading before the first prove. Adding the fruit at the end will stop the fruit from breaking up or getting too bruised up while you are kneading it. Not to mention that the mixer will have an easier time.

With the tweaked recipe in hand I headed for the kitchen. I got my Kenwood mixer out, weighed everything up.

I Read the recipe one more time and went for it. This time it didn’t take as long to do, in fact I said to myself “I’ve got this”. Deciding to add the fruit later in the process worked exactly as I planned. The fruit held it shape and were all plump. The first prove took maybe around 30-35 mins, which is quite fast for my place (for some reason it’s always quite cold here).

I turned the oven on and knocked the bread back and got them ready for the second prove. They took around 20mins for them to nearly double in size. I popped them in the oven and went and did some work. I checked back and to my surprise they were perfect! I giggled and clapped.

They tasted so good. Store/bakery bought hot cross buns have nothing on home baked ones! You should really give them a go!

So maybe you feel like some hot cross buns now?

Check out my recipe here http://www.boostfood.com/recipes/hot-cross-buns/

Put 2 tbsp of the flour, the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar into a small bowl and add 125ml of the water (warmed to tepid) and stir the mixture well. Your yeast mixture should begin to bubble/foam up. If it doesn’t your yeast is dead and you need to start again.

In the meantime sift the flour, spices and stir the sugar in. Then with your fingers rub the butter into the flour mixture.

Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and up to 185ml of water to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough till smooth and elastic. And pull the dough out a bit and lay the dried fruit on it and fold the fruit in gently.

Place the dough into a large oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. And let prove for 30-45 mins or till double in size.

Once dough has doubled in size. Turn the oven on to 200°C and prepare a oven tray.

Knock the dough back and briefly knead the dough gently.

Divide the dough into 12 portions and make into small balls. Arrange them in a 3×4 rows just touching each other.

Cover with cling wrap and let prove till nearly double in size.

To make the cross paste. Mix the ingredients and place into a piping bag with a small nozzle or a zip-lock bag and snip the end off. Carefully pipe the paste just before placing hot cross buns into the oven.

bake at 200°C for approx 20mins. Turn your tray around at half way and check the bottoms close to 20mins. They are cooked when they sound hollow when you tap on them.

For the glaze. Combine the ingredients and melt over a medium heat till sugar and gelatin is completely dissolved. Brush the hot cross buns with the glaze while they are hot. Then letting them cool on a wire rack.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Let us know what you think.

Hint: For a lighter texture use SR flour

TIPS: For an interesting variation, use apples in place of pears, omit the cocoa and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the batter before pouring into pan. Cream butter with sugar until well blended. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.

Stir in cocoa, vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well. Spread into buttered and floured 11 inch round shallow pan or tart pan with a removable bottom. Batter should be no more than 1/2 inch deep. Arrange pears over batter, pressing slices into batter to create an attractive overall pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake is firm when touched. Cool and dust with powdered sugar. Remove sides of pan when ready to serve. Garnish with fresh pear slices.

Sample Detox Diet Recipes

The standard lemon detox diet recipes calls for combining 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice with 10 ounces of pure, unfiltered water. It is recommended that you drink at least 60 ounces of this mixture every day for at least 3 days. Many people also choose to add 2 tablespoons of natural maple syrup and a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne paper powder to the lemon detox diet. It is widely believed that the nutrient rich maple syrup enhances the immune system’s natural defenses, while the cayenne pepper works to dissolve mucus, phlegm, and other toxins. Combining the restorative powers of these three ingredients is the key to the lemon detox diet and its extremely powerful detoxifying effects.

Don’t Like Lemon? Use Other Citrus Fruits For a Natural Detox

All citrus fruits contain the essential antioxidants and enzymes which aid the body in capturing and processing toxins. The citric acid which is most highly concentrated in lemons and lemon juice cleanses the digestive tract by breaking down bacteria and other buildup. The lemon detox program is a highly effective way of flooding your system with citric acid, as well as antioxidants like vitamin C, because it is brief but highly intensive. As a liquid-only plan, the lemon detox diet requires a strong commitment but also yields a powerful reward because it provides the most thorough form of detoxification.

Lemon detox is a good, safe bet for those who may be looking for an effective natural detox for the first time, and aren’t sure what to start out with. But, as with all dietary changes, consult a doctor first. All foods have different effects on different physiologies. If you have an aversion or allergies to or from certain foods, and you may not know it, be sure to be certain before embarking on a lemon detox diet, or any other diet.

Frank Shepard is a prominent voice and writer about natural, healthy options of body detox and detox diets.

1. Cook noodles in plenty of boiling water, when al dente, drain and toss with sesame oil, set aside
2.Combine sauce ingredients, set aside
3. Heat wok, add oil, Add ginger stir fry until fragrant (about 10 sec) add bok choy, bean sprouts and pork, Stir fry for 2 minutes
4.Add broth then when broth is hot add noodles, cover and cook 2 minutes
5. Add sauce, stir well and serve Varriations, instead of pork, use left over cooked, roast beef, lamb, shrimp or chicken, other fresh vegetables in season can be used in place of the sprouts and bok choy

Preparation: Wash asparagus; peel tough white outer skin off ends; slice on diagonal in 2 1/2″ sections. Rinse fermented black beans. In bowl, combine and mash black beans and garlic, brown sugar, black soy sauce and chicken stock; stir; reserve for 15 minutes.

Stir Frying: Add 2/3 of oil to hot wok; when oil is very hot, add chicken.

Stir-fry for about 3 minutes on high heat – or until chicken begins to shrink and firm up. Remove chicken to holding bowl.

Reheat wok to high, add remaining oil. When oil is hot, add black bean sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add asparagus; mix with sauce. Stir sauce with asparagus. When sauce boils, add cooked chicken; toss to combine. Dribble in a little cornstarch paste if needed; cornstarch in chicken marinade might be enough. Toss ingredients until very little liquid
remains and is reduced to glaze. Dish is ready when asparagus brightens.

If you still have too much liquid, remove ingredients, continue to reduce sauce, then return ingredients to coat them with sauce. Serve in individual portions.

Remove roasting pan from heat and season beef all over with salt and pepper. (The beef is seasoned after browning because salting may draw the moisture out of the beef, making it tough.) Place the potatoes, 3 tsp of the remaining butter and 1 tsp of the remaining oil in a bowl. Use your hands to rub the butter and oil evenly over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer around the beef.

Cook beef and potatoes in preheated oven, basting beef with the pan juices once during cooking to keep it moist, for 30 minutes.

Place remaining oil and butter in another roasting pan. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until butter melts. Add carrots and toss to coat well. Turn potatoes and baste beef. Add carrots to oven and cook, shaking pan occasionally, for 25 minutes until beef is medium or until cooked to your liking.

Transfer beef to a carving tray and cover loosely with foil. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest. It is important to rest before serving as it allows juices and heat to redistribute. While beef is resting, transfer potatoes to a tray lined with baking paper. Increase oven temperature to 250°C. Return potatoes to oven and continue to cook while beef is resting. To make gravy, strain pan juices from the roasting pan into a heatproof jug. Return 2 tbs of pan juices to the roasting pan (alternatively, if you don?t have a flameproof roasting pan, transfer to a saucepan) and heat over high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until mixture bubbles.

Gradually add the stock and cook, scraping the pan with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon to dislodge any bits cooked onto the base of the pan. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the gravy reduces and thickens slightly. Strain gravy into a warmed serving jug.

Carve the beef across the grain and serve with the gravy, roast potatoes, roast carrots and steamed spinach or beans.

Thinly slice eggplant lengthways. Heat oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook eggplant, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until tender and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Place eggplant over chicken. Spoon over tomatoes. Top with mozzarella. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is golden and chicken is cooked through. Serve warm with baby spinach leaves.