Deliberate.Serendipity

rest (in the style of Emerson)

I have just read Greg’s essay on Peter Henry Emerson on Utata.org’s Sunday Salon and it inspired me to remix one of my favourite photos in the style of Emerson. Emerson was an early photographer who embraced a ‘natural’ approach to photography.

[original description of photo:
Eric walked around the entire perimeter of Henley Lake. By this point (about 3/4 around) he stopped to rest at every bench. This one was good because he could watch the radio-controlled sailboat sailing on the lake.]

For Good Friday, Gary baked us some hot cross buns. They went over so well that the kids have asked for them again on Easter.

Several people have asked for the recipe, so here’s the one he made up.

• 3 tsp “surebake” yeast
• 280 ml warm water
• 1 egg
• 450g / 3 cups flour
• 2 Tbl brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup sultanas/raisins, etc.
• 2 Tbl oil (canola/vegetable)

Crosses

• 80g flour
• 80 ml water
• 2 tsp sugar

Put 200ml water in a cup with the sugar and yeast, stir, and leave to get going.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add fruit and stir.

Break the egg into a measuring cup and add water to make 80ml liquid

Add frothy yeasty mixture, egg/water, and oil to the dry ingredients. Mix well to a soft dough consistency.

Turn out onto a floured board/surface and knead, adding flour as you knead until it’s not sticky anymore. ie, until it feels right.

Return to bowl, cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Divide and make into 12 buns. Put on baking tray and allow to rise for a further 40 minutes..

Mix up the cross ingredients and pipe over the risen buns.

Bake at 180C/360F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips:

• Yeast: If you can’t find Surebake Yeast (it contains bread improvers), use 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• Rising: The method we use — preheat the oven to 50C/120F. Put the dough in to rise and turn off the oven. (important! don’t forget to turn it off or you will get very slow baked dough that rises up too much). Alternatively, if your kitchen is quite warm, you can leave it to rise in a warm spot, but it may take extra time to rise.

Can’t guarantee that your buns will come out like ours, but they’ll be yummy nonetheless because you made them!