A Good Friday in the kitchen

I have opted to spend the Easter long weekend in Clermont so I am making the most of the time to complete a few things which I have long wanted to do.

I have never made Hot Cross buns. In fact, until a few years ago, I would have avoided eating them at all. I am not a fan of sultanas and raisins so they never interested me. Once the fruitless versions became popular, I would enjoy them toasted with honey or golden syrup.

This year with fewer grocery and bakery options in Clermont, I have been pining for them so I decided to make them rather than risk a poor (and stale) grocery version.

As I researched recipes, I became inspired to not go fruitless but rather replace the sultanas or raisins with other dried fruit.

I decided to make two versions - one with dried dates and the other with craisins (dried cranberries) and mixed peel.

My Good Friday lunch  - all home made!

Hot Cross buns (adapted from Donna Hay's  Modern Classics Vol 2)

Makes 16.

Ingredients
2 x 7g dry yeast sachets
300 ml milk, warmed
4 1/4 cups plain flour
50g butter, melted
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp groun cinnamon
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup craisins
1/8 cup mixed dried peel
1/3 cup water

glaze for buns
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp mixed spice

Method

Place yeast, 2 teaspoons sugar and warmed milk in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. The mixture should be foamy at the end of this time.

Add 4 cups of the flour, sugar, butter, spices and egg then mix until a sticky dough is formed.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 4 minutes. Then halve the dough into two and mix the fruit into each half. One half will have dates and the other craisins and peel. Continue to knead the two separate doughs for another 4 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic.

Place each dough in a well oiled bowl and allow to stand in a warm place for about an hour covered with a tea towel. In this time, it should double in size.


Divide the each dough into 8 balls.

Place the dough balls into a greased and lined tray and then set aside for another 30 minutes until they rise.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.

Combine the last of the flour (1/2 cup) with the water and place in a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe crosses on the buns.

Bake for 35 minutes or until well browned and springy to touch.

Make the glaze by placing all ingredients in a small saucepan on a medium heat for 4 minutes.

Brush the warm glaze onto the buns while they are still hot.

Serve warm.

Note that these will only keep a few days so freezer any leftovers early pre-cut for toasting at a later point.

It's taken two months but I am finally set up in Central Queensland

Having arrived in Clermont at the end of February, I am now well set up at home. The move has gone relatively smoothly with the biggest issues being getting the phone and TV set up.

The removalists are long gone as well as their boxes. The construction zone beside my house is no longer an issue with the patio completed and set up for use.

My house is a company issued 30 year old Hardie Plank house. Nothing special but very liveable with 3 bedrooms, a big kitchen and a easy low set style to it. The patio area means that I have a good entertaining area and Miss Millie the beagle is able to spend the bulk of her time outdoors without any issues with wet weather.

The kitchen has been battled tested over the past 2 months and I'm onto my second oven. (The first one had a broken thermostat which was not going to do...fortunately they replaced it with a new fan forced oven which is working well) The pantry is stocked with enough food to keep me going for a long time and the deep freezer is filled with lasagne, baked beans, beef provencale and soup.

The new job is going well and I am enjoying the change in focus and activity. Being back at the coal face (literally), my days are filled with challenge and opportunities.

The photo of me below is representative of a typical day. This was taken outside a meeting room on one of the sites. The backpack (aka "the remote office") and my lunch bag (the black and white florentine one - aka "no burly miner would be game to steal me") at my feet. There are 2 mines which are 20 minutes apart so unless your diary planning has worked well, you can be travelling to and from each regularly.

I will post an entry later about Clermont to familarise people with the town and area as I appreciate  many people only have a vague idea where I am.