Hot Cross Buns - Makes 6 Buns (75g each)

Ingredients:

120ml milk

5g dry yeast

30g sugar

3g salt

200g strong flour

1 egg

20g soft butter

30g sultanas

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon mixed spice

Cross:

15g plain flour

1tablespoon water

 
Method:

• Warm the milk and add the yeast and sugar. Stir and leave for 3 mins to activate the yeast. (bubbles will form on top).
• Put the flour, salt and spices together in a bowl on a mixer with the dough hook.
• Add the milk containing the activated yeast and sugar, the egg and the soft butter.
• Mix well until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Add the dry fruit and mix until combined.
• Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled the volume for about 1 hour.
• Knock back the dough and then portion the buns (about 75g), roll and put them in a lined baking tray, one close to another. Let them prove until they have doubled in volume.
• While the buns are proving, preheat the oven to 190°C. Mix the flour and water for the cross batter and put it in a piping bag. Once the buns have doubled in volume, brush them with egg wash and pipe the cross over the top of each one.
• Bake at 190 °C for 18-20 mins until golden brown.

Dry ingredients:
150g Wholemeal Flour

50g Plain Flour

25g Brown Sugar

25g Porridge Oats

25g Walnuts

6g Bread Soda

6g Baking Powder

2g Salt

50g Natural Yoghurt

40g Melted Butter

160g Buttermilk

45g Treacle

1 Egg

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C
• Add all of the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
• Add the yoghurt, melted butter, buttermilk, treacle and egg to a jug. Whisk well and add to the dry ingredients. Grease a 1lb loaf tin and place your bread mix inside.
  Smooth the top with a spoon, and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, without opening the oven, reduce the heat in the oven to 160 °C and bake for 30- 35 minutes.
• Remove from tin and place on a wire rack to cool. Enjoy.

Ballynahinch Soda Bread

1.    Preheat oven to 180°C 

2.    Mix both flours, sugar, bread soda and salt in a bowl.

3.    Melt the butter and add to a container with the egg and buttermilk.

4.    Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

5.    Grease a bread tin and scoop in bread mix.

6.    Sprinkle some oats on top if desired.

7.    Bake at 180°C for 10mins, then reduce oven heat to 160°C for 35-40mins.

Ballynahinch Granola (900g Granola Mix)

400g Porridge Oats

60ml Sunflower Oil

50ml Maple Syrup

50ml Honey

50g Flaked Almonds

40g Pecans
30g Hazelnuts
50g Dessicated Coconut

100g Mixed Seeds

½ teaspoon Vanilla Essence

50g Sultanas
50g Dried Apricots

• Put the oats, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, coconut and seeds into the mixer on low speed.
• Mix the oil. Honey, maple syrup and vanilla in a jug and pour onto the oat mix, ensure it's well mixed.
• Spread the granola mix into baking trays and bake at 150°C for 30 mins - stirring after every 10 mins.
• Turn down the temp to 140°C and bake for 30 mins until golden brown, stirring every 6/7 mins.
• Remove from oven, allow to cool and add the raisins and apricots.
• Store in an airtight container.