Hot Cross Bunnies

Makes: 10 Oven: 180 °C / 350 °F
Preparation Time: 2 hours Baking Time: 20 – 25 minutes

Ingredients

500	g	Cake flour ( 4 x 250 ml / 4 cups )
5	ml	Salt ( 1 tsp )
60	ml	Sugar ( 4 tbsp )
3	ml	Mixed spice ( ½ tsp )
3	ml	Nutmeg ( ½ tsp )
5	ml	Cinnamon ( 1 tsp )
10	g	Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
60	g	Margarine
155	ml	Warm milk ( ½ cup + 2 tbsp )
1		Large egg, beaten
125	g	Lukewarm water ( ½ cup )
150	g	Chocolate chips ( 250ml/1 cup ) Dried fruit cake mix ( 250ml/1 cup ) Beaten egg, to brush

Topping

Sugar Water Glaze

Mix 250 ml (1 cup) sugar and 125 ml (½ cup) water together in a saucepan and boil over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Chocolate Glacé Icing

Mix 250 ml (1 cup) icing sugar and 45 ml (3 tbsp) milk or water together to form a smooth, dripping consistency. Melt 125 g of white baking chocolate and add to the mixture. Place immediately into a piping bag with a medium nozzle and pipe a cross over each bun. Work quickly before the chocolate sets.

Method

Mix the flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon together. Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
Melt the margarine in the warm milk and add cold water and eggs.
Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a soft and pliable dough.
Knead the dough well for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with greased plastic and rest for 10 min.
Knock the dough down and work the chocolate chips and dried fruit in whilst kneading. Cover and leave to rest for another 5 minutes.
Divide the dough into 10 large pieces (body), 10 smaller pieces (head) and cut or shape 20 bunny ears with a cutter.
Roll each piece into a round bun and place on a greased baking tray. Cover with lightly greased plastic and rise in a warm place, about
20 – 25 minutes. Place on a separate lightly greased baking tray, cover with a lightly greased plastic and rise in a warm place, about 7 minutes.
Brush the buns lightly with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C / 350 °F for 15 – 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Do the same with the bunny ears. Open the oven after 2 – 3 minutes and press the dough flat – shaping the bunny ear. Use an oven glove to prevent burning. Bake further and open oven once more and press down. Bake until golden brown.
Glaze the buns with sugar water, whilst hot.

To Assemble

Icing – white or coloured, a piping bag & small, dark sweetie balls for eyes.

How

Cut a small slice of the large ball – on the top, slightly off centre. Pipe with icing and the smaller ball on top. Hold for a few seconds until secure. Pipe icing in place for the ears and stick them in place.
Pipe two little spots for eyes and stick sweetie balls in place. Pipe a spot for the nose and stick a sweetie ball in place. Pipe whiskers under the nose.

Doughnut Caterpillar

Makes: 1 Doughnut Caterpillar Preparation Time: 2 hours
Frying: In oil

This Doughnut recipe will be a firm favorite at any kid’s birthday party

Ingredients

360	g	Cake flour ( 3 cups )
5	ml	Salt ( 1 tsp )
60	ml	Sugar ( 4 tbsp )
10	g	Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
30	g	Margarine ( 2 tbsp )
145	ml	Lukewarm water ( ½ cup + 2 tbsp )
1		Large Egg Oil for frying

Glacé icing

Mix 160 g icing sugar and 10 ml cold water (2 tsp) with 5 ml food
colourant of your choice

Sweets to decorate

Liquorice strips for legs, chocolate pretzels for feelers, Astros for eyes, green coloured coconut for grass.

Method

Mix dry ingredients together including Anchor Instant Yeast. Melt margarine in water and add beaten egg. Mix together with dry ingredients to form a soft dough. Knead the dough until surface is smooth, about 5 minutes. Place into a lightly floured plastic bag and leave to rest for
8-10 minutes.
Knock dough down. Using ¾ of the dough mixture, make 20-24 pieces and roll into round balls. With remaining dough, make smaller balls for lollies. Place dough balls onto a greased baking tray covered with a sheet of plastic. Allow to rise in warm place until double in size
(15-20 minutes).
Deep-fry in oil until golden brown, drain on paper towel and cool. Mix glacé icing recipe with different food colourants until smooth.
Ice larger doughnuts. Decorate with sweets, liquorice etc., then assemble caterpillar as shown in the picture.

Doughnut Lollies

Roll smaller doughnuts in leftover glacé icing. Place onto skewers and serve as lollies.

Zorro Racing Cars

Makes: 36 Zorro Racing Cars Oven: 200 °C / 400 °F
Preparation Time: 2 hours Baking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

500	g	Cake flour ( 4 x 250 ml )
7	ml	Salt ( 1½ tsp )
5	ml	Sugar ( 1 tsp )
10	g	Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )

30	g	Margarine ( 2 tbsp )
300	ml	Lukewarm water ( approx. 1¼ cup )
25	ml	Cheese spread ( ½ cup ) ( optional )
500	g	Vienna sausages

Method

Mix flour, salt and sugar together. Add Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
Rub margarine into the flour using your fingertips. Add enough lukewarm water to form a soft dough.
If the dough is too dry, add a little water.
Knead the dough well for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic
Roll dough out into a rectangle, 5 mm thick. Cut into strips 3 cm wide x 20 cm long, using a sharp knife.
Spread cheese spread over the dough (optional) and wrap each strip around a vienna.
Brush with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C / 400 °F for 15 minutes until golden brown.
Decorate with vegetables or fruit of your choice to create racing cars.

Variations

Wrap each strip around a 3 cm thick dowel rod and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 °C / 400 °F until golden brown
(about 15 minutes). Remove the dowel rod and fill the spiral with a filling of your choice. Use apricot jam, raisins and cinnamon sugar and grated chocolate for a sweet treat, or cheese spread, spinach and Feta. Add grated cheese for a delicious, savoury quick meal.

Gingerbread Men

Makes: 28 – 32 Gingerbread Men Oven: 200 °C / 400 °F
Preparation Time: 2 hours Baking Time: 12 – 15 minutes

Ingredients

180	ml	Liquid honey / syrup ( ¾ cup )
160	ml	Brown sugar ( ⅔ cup )
125	g	Butter / margarine
620	g	Cake flour ( 5 cups )
3	ml	Salt ( ½ tsp )
3	ml	Nutmeg ( ½ tsp )
3	ml	Cinnamon ( ½ tsp )

30	ml	Ground ginger ( 1 tbsp )
10	g	Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
4		Eggs, beaten
		Icing, white or coloured
		Jelly beans
		Assorted candy or gold and silver cake icing balls

Method

Place the honey/syrup, brown sugar and butter/margarine in a saucepan and place on low heat to melt, whilst stirring.
The sugar must dissolve. Set aside to cool down completely. Take care not to use if still too warm. Lukewarm to cold is best.
In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and spices together. Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture and add the beaten eggs and mix well until dough is firm and smooth.
Place into a bowl and cover with lightly greased plastic to rest for 10 minutes.
Knock the dough down. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Place 3 under greased plastic. Roll one piece at a time, on a lightly floured surface into
6 mm / ¼ inch thick.
Cut 24 large or 30 small gingerbread figures with a cutter. Place onto lightly greased baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C 400 °F for 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
To decorate gingerbread men, use icing and candy to create a face. Keep cookies in an airtight container.

Gift Packaging Ideas

Fill a glass jar with gingerbread men. Tie a ribbon around the neck of the jar, secure with a bow and add a tag with a message, for a personal touch.
Pack a gingerbread man into a cellophane packet. Secure with a ribbon or raffia and add a tag with a message, for a personal touch.
Pack several gingerbread men in a small basket. Stand the basket on a large piece of cellophane. Bring the cellophane up around the basket and gather it above. Tie the gather with ribbon or raffia and add a tag with a message, for a personal touch.