Hey Strange, I was wondering the same thing! How did the hot cross buns go! (My daughter made hot cross buns yesterday at school too, she really enjoyed it.)
whitehead.,
Apr 6, 12:30am
how old is your yeast and how hot was your water . yeast must be fresh watch for the use by date and toss if it does not prove . water should be the same heat as your skin good luck
uli,
Apr 6, 4:35am
bump for strange .
uli,
Apr 7, 1:52am
bump again .
uli,
Apr 7, 7:03am
miri_s what did you want to say!
miri_s,
Apr 7, 7:30am
Lol, nothing offensive.Just to say that the yeast mix in my buns (using ingredients similar to Holst's) did not bubble either - yet the dough still prooved and the end result was fine.
I speculated whether the high butter content in the mix would inhibit the yeast from bubbling to the surface - but I'm not sure if this is plausible.
uli,
Apr 7, 7:34am
Yep - the higher the butter - or any fat content of the dough - the more the yeast has "to work". And if it is fresh and happy yeast (or sourdough - which is what I use) then it is not a problem and it will raise the dough.
If it is something like "surebake" - which is not much yeast and lots of "improvers" and baking powder the less it will work.
miri_s,
Apr 7, 7:43am
I used "tasti - active dry yeast" (though I prefer edmonds).Thanks for the info, uli.It can be perplexing when the yeast doesn't react in the way you'd expect it too - especially with the price of butter these days.I couldn't bear to throw out my base yeast mix, despite it not bubbling - so I'm glad I went ahead and made the dough anyway.
strange,
Apr 7, 8:05pm
just an update. the kids really enjoyed themselves and had fun but unfortuently the dough did NOT rise. not much at all on the first and really none on the second. So they got other buns I had made before hand. Feel really bad about it but the kids loved making the buns and eating them (even if I had to do a bit of t.v magic)
strange,
Apr 7, 8:10pm
The yeast I know was absolutely fine. I seriously don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have made yummy well risen buns before and other times like this time they are rubbish. It is so frustrating :-(
strange,
Apr 7, 8:15pm
my only thought is that I'm not getting the flour and liquid ratio right at the times they are rubbish.
buzzy110,
Apr 7, 9:36pm
Assuming you didn't use a recipe with fat and eggs in it, which does interfere with proving times quite a lot, this time round you may have gone a bit light on the kneading. Dough has to be kneaded till it is elastic and stretchy. This forms long gluten chains that trap yeasty gases and cause bread to rise.
I didn't read your recipe but did you also add in wholemeal flour or bran! If so, you would have had to add in some extra gluten as bran also prevent long gluten chains being formed during kneading.
Just thinking out loud here. Any or none of these conditions may have existed.
I have a fabulous recipe from one of Dean Brettschnieder's books for a sweet, spicy bread that doesn't use any fat or eggs and it translates well into Easter buns.
strange,
Apr 8, 12:50am
awesome. want to share! I kneaded the same as I usually do.and yes it did have fat but no eggs in the one I used for the kids that day. It was actually Annabelle Langbein's sticky bun recipe. She has adapted it to hot cross buns.
elliehen,
Apr 8, 2:33am
You would have to post that pic at afternoon tea time ;)
jimmy2102,
Apr 8, 2:41am
Wow they look fabulous, i can almost smell them. Wish i could bake like that.youve inspired me, ive copied your recipe, thanks.
strange,
Apr 8, 7:10am
they look lovely :-)
strange,
Apr 8, 7:13am
did you add extra flour or did you just use the 5 cups that are stated!
kay141,
Apr 8, 7:17am
Did they have any fruit in them!
strange,
Apr 8, 8:36am
totally irrelevant but uli, are you a male or female, old, young! would like to put some kinda of image behind your often sarcastic remarks
buzzy110,
Apr 9, 5:27am
Nice. uli gave you some helpful advice in this thread. English is not her first language and sometimes she expresses herself in the manner of her mother tongue. Your comment was uncalled for.
strange,
Apr 9, 6:45am
yes and she was also rude but not as rude as she has been at other time to me. But I like how you criticize me for being 'rude' and stick up for her despite her rudeness (yes she was helpful in some comments as well). I Have experienced her rudeness on many occasion as have others. I don't believe I was being rude but blunt. if that came of as rude then she can tell me herself and i'll apologise. I don't even think she would use her lack of english skills as an excuse why she is rude.
ayglepaygle,
Apr 9, 8:51am
Yes - the recipe says to add more flour if the dough is too sticky. I find I usually end up using about six cups of flour total.
ayglepaygle,
Apr 9, 8:55am
They sure did! Just over 2 cups of fruit.The recipe says one cup but I like them quite fruity. Looking back at the photo the fruit hasn't shown up but it's in there alright.
elliehen,
Apr 9, 8:58am
Someone who wishes to communicate in a civil manner can do so in any language.It's a choice.
uli spends a lot of time here criticising the grammar and syntax of native English speakers.She is constantly nagging people about 'bought' and 'brought'.
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