Felicity's Ironclad cranberry and orange hot cross buns

​ One pan orange and cranberry hot cross buns. For more cast iron skillet recipes, check here. INGREDIENTS Juice of one large orange and zest of 2 oranges ¼ cup boiling water 2 cups dried cranberries 1 1/4 cups milk, warmed slightly 2 large eggs 3 tsp vanilla essence 6 Tbsp butter 3 tsp instant yeast 1/2 cup sugar 4 tsp spice mix (ground cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg) ½ tsp each ground black pepper and chilli powder (optional) 1 tsp salt 7 cups white flour FOR THE TOPPING 1 cup flour 7.5 Tbsp water FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp boiling water METHOD Heat milk and butter until butter melted. Whisk in eggs. Leave to cook until room temperature then sprinkle over yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Leave to go frothy for 10 mins. Combine the orange juice, zest and cranberries in a small bowl and pour boiling water over the top. Leave to soak whilst you get on with the rest of the prep. Combine 6 cups of the flour and remainder of dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients. Pour milk mix and soaked (not drained) cranberry mix into well. Mix with wooden spoon until well combined. The mixture should be a little bit wet and very sticky. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes adding flour to create kneadable sticky dough. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl (use the one you just make the mix in) and cover. Let rise for 1 - 2 hours in a warm place or until almost doubled in size. Knead for 5 minutes then divide the dough into 22 equal portions and shape into smooth balls. Place 8 of the rolls into an Ironclad Pan lined with baking paper and either make the rest on a baking sheet or freeze remainder of dough for next Hot Cross Bun emergency. Whisk together flour and water to make a paste. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small tip (or use a plastic bag with end snipped off) and add the flour paste. Pipe rows across the top of the buns until a cross is formed atop each bun. Let rise for 1 more hour or until double in size. Preheat oven to 190°C. Bake in preheated oven for 15 min and remove from oven. Brush the top with sugar syrup made from 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons boiling water. EAT THOSE DELICIOUS LITTLE BEAUTIES HOT OUT OF THE OVEN WITH LASHINGS OF BUTTER. BUGGER THE KETO DIET DURING RĀHUI! ** if you did freeze some of the mix. Pull it out of oven night before and let defrost overnight. Knead and roll into balls and proceed as above. submitted by /u/JoeCarter111 [link] [comments]