The Hot Cross Bun Baking Competition

One Easter, a group of bunnies decided to have a hot cross bun baking competition. Each bunny had their own special recipe, and they were all eager to see whose buns would be the best.

One bunny named Flo was especially confident in her recipe. She had spent years perfecting it, and she knew it was sure to win.

But when it came time to taste the buns, Flo was horrified to realize that she had accidentally added too much salt to the dough! Her buns were almost too salty to eat.

But instead of giving up, Flo quickly came up with a plan. She sliced the buns in half, spread them with butter, and turned them into savory sandwiches with ham and cheese. Her friends were skeptical at first, but after one bite, they all agreed that Flo's hot cross bun sandwiches were the best thing they had ever tasted!

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup candied orange peel
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for cross)
• 1/4 cup water (for cross)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine 4 cups flour, sugar, melted butter, warm milk, yeast, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix until well combined.
2. Add raisins and candied orange peel, and mix until well distributed throughout the dough.
3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
5. Punch down the dough and shape into 12 balls. Place them on a greased baking sheet and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
7. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water until a smooth paste forms. Put the paste in a piping bag or plastic bag with a small hole cut in one corner.
8. Pipe a cross on each bun with the flour paste.
9. Brush each bun with the beaten egg.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.