HOT CROSS BUN LOAF

Photo: Adam Cloete
Ek wou en ek het en dit is heerlik.

2 teaspoons dried yeast
5 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) milk, warmed
2½ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
40 g butter, melted
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup (160 g) sultanas
Cross:
½ cup (75 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
Glaze:
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 tablespoon water
In a bowl, mix the yeast, 2 teaspoons of the sugar and the milk. Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear.
Place the flour, butter, yolk, remaining sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, add the yeast mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms.
Add the sultanas and knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place in a greased 20 cm x 10 cm x 7 cm loaf tin. Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
To make the cross, whisk together the flour and water and pipe a cross pattern on the uncooked loaf.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden.
To make the glaze, place the jam and water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the jam is softened.
Brush the jam mixture over the baked loaf.
Cool slightly in the tin, turn out and slice to serve.