I'm attempting to bake hot cross buns for the first time. Gonna live tweet my progress because why not. This may fail...
I'm following this recipe:
https://www.bettys.co.uk/blog/recipe-hot-cross-buns
Initial risks are: I don't have strong flour and I'm going to have to make my own mixed spice.
I'm following this recipe:
https://www.bettys.co.uk/blog/recipe-hot-cross-buns
Initial risks are: I don't have strong flour and I'm going to have to make my own mixed spice.
Strong flour, I've learned, is number 812 in Germany (doesn't help, couldn't find it in the apocalypse).
Mixed spice is a British thing and I'm going to make my own following this mix: https://www.daringgourmet.com/british-mixed-spice/#wprm-recipe-container-48536
Mixed spice is a British thing and I'm going to make my own following this mix: https://www.daringgourmet.com/british-mixed-spice/#wprm-recipe-container-48536
This starts to feel like yak shaving, because now I need to figure out what 'all spice' is. Great naming there...Turns out it's 'piment' in Germany. I've googled mace. It's something to do with nutmeg. I'm ignoring it.
Recipe says to cover it in cling film and put it in the fridge to relax 
I appear to have very independent cling film. It's not clingy at all. Hopefully relaxation can happen anyway.

I appear to have very independent cling film. It's not clingy at all. Hopefully relaxation can happen anyway.
Mixed spice made! Probably more than I'll ever need. It smells like Christmas. I was sceptical about the coriander but I put it in anyway. Piment ist apparently also 'clove pepper' (literal German translation) so now you know...
This is the risky part. I do not have any experience baking with fresh yeast. It smells funny. I'm about to dissolve it in tepid water. How warm is tepid?
Here goes...

It said lightly floured but I had to add more cos this stuff is superglue. It smells good but it's glue. Now it's probably too dry....
Mixed fruit. I learned that currants are 'korinthen'. We don't have mixed dried fruit here so I'm using Orangeat. Shrug. We'll see...
Biggest problem so far - me thinking that 4x4 is 12 
so the sizes aren't the same. Now they're going to 'prove' for 1-2 hours. Which means they're coming sunbathing with me. Let's hope they rise....


Now to start piping 'perfect crosses' onto the buns before bthey get baked ...
My phone is sticky.
(if you're normally here for testing, agile and ceo-life content, #sorrynotsorry it's the apocalypse).
Three minutes till they're done
Three minutes till they're done

Aesthetically I'm impressed! Some have large dollops of sticky sugar syrup, some crosses aren't perfect... They smell right... 
Now just to actually taste them...

