Hot cross Easter pikelets

I don't know about you but the idea of spending several hours of my Easter weekend making hot cross buns just didn't appeal this year (plus I am yet to find a recipe that I really love and am willing to share). Instead these pikelets are super simple, quick to make and taste a lot like the real thing without all the waiting around or wondering how it is that shop bought ones stay soft for so long? Eat them warm or cold with lots of salted butter!

Ingredients (makes 15):

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup full fat milk (you may need a splash more)
• 1/4 cup currants or raisins, soaked in orange juice for 10 minutes then thoroughly drained
• 1/2 cup icing sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice mixed into a paste for the crosses** optional

• salted butter for the fry pan (and for serving)
• piping bag/ culinary syringe (if adding the crosses); you can also just drizzle the icing on in a rough cross shape

Method:

1. Sift all dry ingredients together into a medium sized bowl
2. make a well in the center and add the beaten egg, stir briefly
3. add the milk and orange zest and whisk until smooth and moderately thick
4. stir in the drained currants or raisins (they should be plump but not wet)
5. fill a piping bag or syringe with the icing paste and set aside
6. lightly butter a fry pan (don't use too much butter or it will blacken) and heat over medium flame until the pan sizzles, then drop rounded tablespoons of pikelet batter into the pan, using the back of the spoon to spread out a little (approx 8-10cm in diameter) and cook until bubbles appear on the top of the pikelet
7. flip the pikelet over and cook the other side for another minute or until golden
8. remove from the pan and pipe a cross onto the pikelet and serve
9. you can eat the hot or cold, they also freeze well once cooked