Hot-cross buns and Easter fun

This Easter, my sister is out of town, meaning that the Easter desserts are my responsibility. And since she’s a professional baker, I have some boots to fill. But thankfully she’s left her guarded hot-cross bun recipe with me, meaning that our cousins won’t even notice her absence. On closer inspection, however, I noticed a few peculiar things about this recipe.

Firstly, rather than using dried yeast, my sister (she is a baker, after all) uses fresh baker’s yeast. This means that the temperature of the milk in the dough can’t be as hot, or it might kill the yeast otherwise, resulting in flat buns. 

Secondly, I shouldn’t be using a pre-mixed spice mix, but actually measure my own concoction. Thankfully our spice cabinet is impressively stocked, if I may so say. And to give the buns that sweet and spicy aroma, I was to indulge with the cinnamon.