Valerie Slabbert from the Koekedoor 2015 competition on kykNET, shared a special recipe with Vrouekeur for a 3-in-1 hot cross bun wreath, which is combination between a hot cross, Chelsea and cinnamon bun.

Valerie says that often people are wary to use yeast when baking. “I agree with Mareli Visser (Koekedoor winner) who says that anyone who can use a pair of scissors and cut open a sachet of yeast can bake with yeast. Spoil your loved ones this Easter with this special Easter wreath – except for the time it takes to prove – it’s actually a quick and easy recipe. Once you’ve tasted hot cross buns you’ve made yourself, you’ll steer clear of shop-bought ones. Happy Easter!”

3-in1 hot cross bun wreath

WREATH

300 ml milk

50 g butter

500 g bread flour

10 g sachet of yeast

75 g castor sugar

5 ml (1 t) salt

1 beaten egg

15 ml (1 T) sunflower oil

100 g mixed fruits (raisins & sultanas)

50 g mixed lemon peel (or the grated skin of 1 orange)

5 ml (1 t) cinnamon

5 ml (1 t) mixed spice

2.5 ml (½ t) nutmeg

FRUIT BUTTER

100 g butter (at room temperature)

100 g castor sugar

150 g mixed fruits (raisins & sultanas)

5 ml (1 t) cinnamon

5 ml (1 t) mixed spice

TOPPING

60 ml (2 T) apricot jam

GLAZE

100 g icing sugar

water

1. Wreath. Heat the milk and butter in one pot till the butter has melted. Put aside to cool till lukewarm.
2. Put the bread flour, yeast, castor sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Put the salt on one side and the yeast on the other – never let them touch each other.
3. Add the milk mixture and beaten egg and stir with a spoon till it’s mixed.
4. Knead the dough well on a surface that has been lightly sprinkled with flour till it’s elastic and smooth (about 10 minutes – it is very therapeutic and satisfactory to see how the sticky mixture turns into a smooth, elastic dough).
5. Place it in a bowl that has been wiped with some sunflower oil and cover it with cling wrap that has also been wiped with sunflower oil and let it rise to double its size for about an hour.
6. Knock the dough down, work the fruit, lemon peel, cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg into the dough till mixed thoroughly and let it prove for another hour.
7. Knock the dough down and roll it into a big rectangle (30 cm x 40 cm – like a Swiss roll).
8. Fruit butter. Mix the fruit butter ingredients.
9. Spread the fruit butter over the dough and roll it up like a Swiss roll.
10. Put it on a baking tray covered with baking paper and shape it into ring. Press the ends together and cut slices ¾ through and around the ring for a “fan” effect.
11. Cover with cling wrap once more and let it prove for an hour.
12. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 25 minutes or till done.
13. Topping. Melt the apricot jam in the microwave and paint over the wreath as soon as it has cooled down a bit.
14. Glaze. Mix the icing sugar with some water till smooth and runny and spoon over the hot cross bun wreath as soon as it’s cooled down.