Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cake fresh yeast
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup clarified butter
1 cup raisins (and if desired cashews)

Method:

1. Boil the milk, remove the cream and let it cool.
2. In a large vessel, crumble the yeast and mix it with 1/2 cup flour. Stir in warmed (not hot) milk and mix till it forms a smooth paste.
3. Set this mixture aside for 20 minutes so that the yeast froths.
4. In another vessel, mix the remaining flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
5. Stir egg and butter into the yeast mix; add the flour mixture and raisins and mix them all together.
6. Put this dough onto a floured surface and knead. Return to bowl, and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
7. Turn onto a floured surface and knead again.
8. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.
9. Divide dough into ten pieces and shape into buns. Mark a deep cross on the top of each bun.
10. Arrange this on a baking tray, cover with a cloth, and let it rise for 40 minutes. Cook in the preheated (190 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Icing: