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DESSERT: Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns certainly conjure up memories of Easter time for me. With sweet smelling spices, sultanas and a sticky glaze, the hot cross bun is synonymous with Easter.
My recipe for this delicious spring time favourite will hopefully have you making your own hot cross buns year after year!
To make twelve hot cross buns you will need the following ingredients:
1. 300g strong white bread flour
2. 30g butter, softened
3. 1 tsp mixed spice
4. 60g caster sugar
5. 7g dried yeast
6. Zest of half a lemon (or 1 tbsp lemon juice
7. 200ml semi-skimmed milk (or milk of your choice)
8. 1 medium egg
9. 80g sultanas
10. 2 tbsp plain flour (for the crosses on the buns, with a little tap water)
11. Golden syrup to glaze
Step 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter and mixed spice together using your hands until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. (Alternatively, use a food processor if you have one). Then add the sugar, yeast and lemon zest (or juice) as well.
Step 2
Next, we need to add the wet ingredients to the dough. Warm the milk (in a pan over a low heat or in the microwave briefly) and add this to the center of the dough with the egg and combine together.
If the dough feels too sticky then add a touch more flour and if it feels a little dry then add a drop more milk.
If you love baking, then why not try making my tasty Onion and Garlic bread rolls here too.
Step 3
Now we need to knead the dough for five minutes until it feels stretchy and elastic to the touch. Then transfer the mixture to another large bowl that has been lightly greased with butter or oil and cover the dough with cling film (or equivalent).
I also like to put a large elastic band around the edging of my bowl to help seal in the air even more but this isn’t essential. Let the dough rise for one hour before moving on to the next step.
Step 4
After one hour, the dough should have had a chance to rise nicely. Now you can add the sultanas and knead them into the dough. Once added, cover your bowl again with the cling film and allow the dough to rise for a further hour.
Step 5
Lightly flour your baking tray and divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Use your hands to shape each of them into a ball shape and evenly space them out on the baking tray.
Now cover them with a clean tea towel and let them sit and rise for the third and final time for one hour before baking.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7/220C/425F.
With the oven warming up, you have time to make the crosses that go on top of the hot cross buns.
In a small cup, simply add a little water to the two tablespoons of plain flour to make a paste and carefully use a spoon to drip the mixture over the buns in a cross shape. I really enjoy this part as you can get creative with your designs and crosses!
If you wish to be more precise then you could use a piping bag. Either way, once you are happy with your hot cross buns, bake them in the oven for 20 minutes until they are lightly golden in colour.
Step 7
Once your hot cross buns are out of the oven and still hot, glaze them with some golden syrup. This will not only provide a shiny glossed look to the buns, it will actually add a little sweetness to the taste of them as well.
Enjoy your Easter hot cross buns warm or allow them to cool or toast them later until a grill. Add your choice of toppings from butter and jam to even adding marmalade. I like butter with mine, how about you?
Check out my tasty Apple Roses dessert recipe here and try my delicious Chocolate Cake Tray Bake recipe here too.
