Hot Cross Buns XXX
Easter bank holiday weekend is the perfect time to cook something that takes a little extra time, but with plenty of reward. Treat your loved ones this weekend to some freshly baked Hot Cross Buns and it’s so much fun to make it together…
Ingredients:
- 2 x 7 g sachets of fast action yeast
- 60g / ¼ cup caster sugar
- 375ml 1-½ cups warm milk
- 600g / 4 cups plain flour
- 1-heaped tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 80g butter
- 1 large egg
- 120g / ¾ cup mixed fruit soaked for 10 minutes in hot water
Extras:
To make them even fruitier you can add
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
White paste mix
- ½ cup / 75g plain flour
- ¼ cup / 40 ml water
- 3 tsp sugar
Make the yeast mixture first. Simply add the warm milk, caster sugar and yeast into a bowl. Give it a stir and then cover with a cloth and leave somewhere warm for 10 minutes. The yeast will begin to go frothy.
In a large bowl, sieve the flour and spices together. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it has disappeared and turned into fine breadcrumbs. Next, make a well in the centre of the flour. Add the egg, (Zest if your going to use it), drained mixed fruit and yeast mixture. Bring all the ingredients together with your hands to make a big sticky ball. Cover with a damp cloth and leave somewhere warm for 45 minutes – 1 hour. It will double in size so make sure your bowl is big enough.
Prepare a large baking try by lightly shaking a bit of flour on it.
When your dough has risen and doubled in size, lightly flour a work surface to knead the dough. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding a little extra flour if it is too sticky. Then cut the dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball shape and pop them on your baking tray next to each other. Leave them to raise for another 10 – 15 minutes somewhere warm.
Turn oven on to hot – gas 6 / 200 c
While they are rising you can make your white paste mixture. Simply mix all ingredients together until a smooth paste is formed. The paste should be quite thick, if it is runny just add a little more flour until you get the right consistency. You will need either a piping bag or a small plastic food bag. If you use a food bag then make a tiny hole in the corner and this is will act as your piping bag.
When the dough has risen a bit more, or to the edge of the baking tray, Pipe a straight line across the buns in one direction and then going across the other way so you make a cross on each bun.
Pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Whilst they are still hot brush some golden syrup over the top to make a glaze and serve them straight away.
They taste best when freshly baked with a good spread of butter.
Watch how to make them on my video tutorial below:
I heard from your clip was 1/2teaspoon grounded cinnamon but in ur recipe it’s 1tsp. Which is the right one?
Thanx lots!
hi ya, Yes well observed. I changed my mind after I did the video. 1 tsp tastes better. Thank you for asking.
Hi, I have another question: what do you mean by “gas 6 / 200 c”? so does it mean I set the oven at 200*c?
^^ many thanks!
Yes, set your oven to 200c or gas 6. Which ever setting your oven uses. Best to preheat the oven, so that just means turn it on about 15 minutes before you put your buns in to cook so it’s nice and hot.
Can I use light corn syrup to glaze the hot cross buns?
Thanks!
hello, thank you for your question! You can use anything sweet and sticky to glaze with, so yes! The more thick it is the better the glaze will be. Hope that helps x
Hi, I have another question: what do you mean by “gas 6 / 200 c”? so does it mean I set the oven at 200*c?
^^ many thanks!
Yes, you got it! Put oven on to 200 c
x
Hi, I have another question: what do you mean by “gas 6 / 200 c”? so does it mean I set the oven at 200*c?
^^ many thanks!
Yep that is correct
You said to use normal plain flour on the video and you’ve put plain flour on the ingredients, but you used flour from a packet of bread flour on the video to flour the work top and to make the paste (the packet had a picture of a loaf of bread on it). Which flour do you use, plain or strong bread flour? If you use plain for a soft bread roll would this work with other bread recipes? I’m on a quest for a really nice soft, but homemade bread roll. Mine always turn out crispy bordering on hard!
Thanks
Hello and thanks for your comment and questions. Use plain flour for really soft rolls, the only reason i was using strong bread flour for rolling was because I had run out of plain! you are very observant! You can also use plain flour in other bread recipes, or even use half strong and half plain. Just dust with a sprinkle of flour on top when you bake them as egg wash or milk will make a crusty exterior. Hope your bread rolls turn out lovely and soft. Best wishes. Caroline x x
I have only medium sized eggs at home, will this do? . . or does it have to be Large??