Hot Cross Muffins

So easter is a-coming...and my most favourite thing to eat at this time of year (or pretty much all year round) is hot cross buns. Now last year I made a few batches from scratch, using a recipe from my favourite baking book, Peyton and Byrne's British Baking. They were really scrummy, but as it is a bread recipe, with all the rising time it takes several hours to complete. This year I've got a bit less time on my hands, so I decided to make something with the flavours of a hot cross bun, but much less of the hassle. This recipe is adapted from one from taste.com, but I was surprised to find very few recipes for a similar thing online, so I decided to share mine. 

Ingredients:

100g currants                                                                 

100g mixed peel

2tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2tsp nutmeg

200g caster sugar

375g self raising flour

2 eggs

165ml sunflower oil, or melted margarine

100ml yoghurt

150ml milk

2tbsp sugar, 2tbsp water for bun wash

100g icing sugar with a little water for piping

• Preheat the oven to 200C and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cases. 
• Sift together the flour, bicarb and spices into large mixing bowl and add the sugar. 
• Add the dried fruit to the bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, yoghurt, milk and oil until combined.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix just enough to combine.
• Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 
• Put the water and sugar for the glaze in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved. Brush the glaze over the cooled muffins. 
• Mix the icing sugar with a little water at a time until it is thick but still able to be piped. Use a piping bag to pipe crosses on the top of the muffins. 

Enjoy :)

Emily Kate