Hot Cross Buns are one of my favourite things EVER and I get really upset when they stop selling them in local shops after Easter (because I can’t make them ALL the time!) but this recipe makes super nice ones!
Ingredients
Makes 8
- 100ml Milk
- 7g Dried Yeast
- 30g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 250g Strong Bread Flour
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- 2 Tsp Ground Mixed Spice
- 40g Butter
- 50g Currants
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Mixed Peel
For the Crosses and Glaze:
- 50g Plain Flour
- Pinch of Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Vegetable Oil
- 1-2Tbsp Milk
- 1 Tsp Caster Sugar
Directions
- Bring the 100ml milk to simmer in a small saucepan and then set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the 2 tablespoons of warm water and ½ teaspoon of the sugar to create a loose paste. Whisk in the egg.
- Put the flour, salt and mixed spice in a large bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and rub it into the flour with your fingertips. Stir in the remaining sugar.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture and three-quarters of the milk. Stir with a cutlery knife, adding enough of the reserved milk to make a soft but not sticky dough.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 1½ hours until doubled in size.
- Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured the work surface, knead again for 2–3 minutes and add in the currants and mixed peel.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, shape into buns and place about 2 cm apart on a large, oiled baking sheet. Flatten each slightly with the palm of your hand, then cover with oiled cling film and leave to prove (about 30 minutes or until you can lightly press the dough and it doesn’t spring back).
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- To make the crosses; sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the oil and enough cold water to make a thick but pipeable paste. Once the buns have risen and doubled in size, mix the milk with the sugar and use to brush the buns lightly. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 5 mm nozzle (or cut the very end off of a disposable one) with the paste. Using a sharp knife, cut a very shallow cross in the top of each bun, 1 mm deep, and pipe a cross on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, brush the buns again with the sweetened milk and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. They should feel light and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and cover with a teatowel to steam (this will soften the crust to give that soft, sticky texture).
