Description
Traditional Hot Cross Buns are spiced sweet yeast buns studded with candied peel and sultanas, marked with a distinctive cross on top, perfect for Easter or any time you crave a comforting treat. Soft, fragrant, and lightly glazed with apricot jam, these buns are baked to a golden brown and have a subtly spiced flavor thanks to cinnamon and mixed spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 220 ml Milk
- 50 g Butter
- 450 g Strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp Fine salt
- 3 tsp Mixed spice
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 45 g Caster sugar
- 60 g Candied peel
- 80 g Sultanas
- 1 Egg (Beaten)
For Brushing
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 2 tbsp Apricot jam
Cross Paste
- 50 g Plain flour
- Water (enough to make a soft paste)
Instructions
- Heat the milk and butter mixture: Heat the milk on the hob or in the microwave until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Set aside to cool to tepid.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the strong white bread flour, fine salt, mixed spice, cinnamon, and caster sugar.
- Add dried fruit: Stir the candied peel and sultanas into the flour mixture to distribute evenly.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: When the milk and butter mixture is tepid, pour it into the flour mixture along with the beaten egg.
- Knead the dough: Bring the mixture together to form a dough then turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is springy and elastic.
- First proof: Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film, and allow to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Shape buns: Turn the risen dough onto a surface and portion into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a neat, tight ball by stretching the edges down and under using the edge of your hand. Arrange the buns on an oiled baking tray.
- Second proof: Cover the buns loosely with oiled cling film and allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.
- Preheat oven: Heat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
- Brush the buns: Very gently brush the tops of the buns with 2 tablespoons of milk to keep the tops soft, taking care not to dent them.
- Prepare and pipe crosses: Mix the plain flour with enough water to make a soft paste. Transfer to a piping bag or a sandwich bag with the end snipped off and pipe crosses onto the tops of each bun.
- Bake the buns: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the buns are a dark golden brown.
- Glaze with apricot jam: Immediately after removing from the oven, brush the tops of the warm buns with the apricot jam to give them a shiny glaze.
Notes
- Make sure the milk and butter mixture is tepid before adding to the dry ingredients to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
- For best results, allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free environment.
- You can substitute mixed spice with a blend of ground nutmeg, allspice, and cloves if unavailable.
- For softer buns, brush with milk right before baking and glaze with apricot jam post-baking while still warm.
- Store leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
