Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns (serves 20)
325 gm raw caster sugar
1 lemon
1½ Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored, diced
1 cinnamon quill
5 cups plain flour
150 gm sultanas or golden raisins
50 gm dried apple, diced
30 gm candied orange, diced
14 gm (2 sachets) dried yeast
3½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
Finely grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon
380 ml milk
100 gm butter, coarsely chopped
1 egg
- Combine 260gm sugar and 375ml water in a saucepan, then squeeze in juice of half a lemon and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, cut remaining lemon half into 5mm-thick slices, add to pan with Granny Smith apple and cinnamon quill.
- Bring to the simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook until lemon and apple are translucent (20-25 minutes). Strain, reserving fruit and syrup separately. When cool enough to handle, dice lemon, combine with apple and set aside.
- Combine 700gm flour, sultanas, dried apple, candied orange, yeast, 3 tsp ground cinnamon, allspice, rinds, remaining sugar, reserved apple mixture and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
- Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan, warm over low heat until butter melts and mixture is lukewarm. Whisk in egg, then add milk mixture to flour, stirring to form a soft dough.
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (30-40 minutes).
- Knock back dough, divide into 20 even pieces, then knead each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange dough balls into two concentric circles on a large round or rectangular baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving 1cm between each for dough to expand.
- Cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (30-40 minutes).Preheat oven to 220C. Combine remaining flour and 70ml cold water in a bowl and stir to a smooth paste.
- Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and pipe a cross shape onto each bun. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven to 200C and bake until golden and buns sound hollow when tapped (8-10 minutes).
- Meanwhile, combine reserved syrup and remaining ground cinnamon in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until syrupy and combined. Brush thickly over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Rustic Apple Tart (yields 6 servings)
For the crust (if not using ready-made)*
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3-4 tbsp cold water
Sugar for sprinkling (preferably Turbinado or large crystal variety)
- Heat oven to 400° F. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough comes together but is still slightly crumbly (you should use 3 to 4 tablespoons total).
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-14 inch circle. Place it in a an 8 or 9 inch cast-iron skillet, allowing the dough to hang over the edge.
For Apple filling
3-4 apples, roughly chopped
6 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ stick of butter cut into cubes
2 tbsp melted butter for brushing crust
8 ” or 9” cast iron skillet
- In a bowl, combine apples, sugar, cornstarch and spices. Mix until apples are thoroughly coated. Fill the pie crust with the apple mixture, piling it high in the middle. Gently fold the dough edges in towards the center.
- Dot apples with butter pats and brush the crust with melted butter. Sprinkle sugar over apples and crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is brown and sugar has melted. Serve warm.
Notes: If you are using store-bought ready made pie crust, use one disc.
Curry Pumpkin Soup with Orange-Cranberry Topper (makes 8 servings)
For Orange-Cranberry Topper:
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
For Soup:
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped ( about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 15 ounce canned pumpkin
2 14 ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup water
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- In small bowl combine cranberries, orange peel, and parsley to prepare the Orange- Cranberry Topper. Set aside. In 4-qt. Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, and celery. Cook, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add curry powder and pumpkin pie spice. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add pumpkin, broth, and water. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
- In food processor or blender, add one-third of the pumpkin mixture at a time, cover, and process or blend until smooth. Return all pumpkin mixture to Dutch oven.
- Stir half-and-half, salt, and pepper into pumpkin mixture; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with the Orange-Cranberry Topper.
Happy Halloween Darlings!! I hope you all have some good scary fun.
