Hot cross bun is traditionally eaten on Good Friday and to mark the end of lent. They are spiced sweet bun usually made with fruits and mark with a cross on top. You can check out the history of hot cross bun here. In Australia, they are sold as early as December in big supermarkets, after Christmas (Yes, it’s madness!).
Yesterday, I’ve baked my first batch of hot cross buns for the year using a recipe from River Cottage Handbook No. 3 by Daniel Stevens. I like the smell of freshly baked hot cross buns and these buns came out soft and fluffy, filled with raisins and mixed spices. Today’s breakfast was sorted! I have also used a vegetarian friendly butter and the outcome is no different than using normal butter.
This recipe makes about 16 buns. Leave out the crosses if it isn’t Easter. So let’s get started.
- Into the mixing bowl, combine the flours, milk, yeast, salt and sugar. Turn on the mixer, slowly add in water and mix to a sticky dough. Add in the egg and butter and continue mixing.
- Add the dried fruits, orange zest and mixed spice and continue mixing on low speed until silky and smooth. Ensure the dough pass the window pane test.
- Oil the bowl with some oil so the dough won’t stick to the bowl. Form the dough into a ball and put the soft dough into the oiled bowl. Cover with a cling film and leave to proof until double in size, about 1 hour.
- After it has double in size, tip the dough out to a pastry board and knead for a few seconds.
- Cut the dough into 16 pieces (about 65g each), then roll them into balls and place them on baking tray layered with baking paper.
- Cover and let it rise until they are double in volume. I would usually let it rise for about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius. Prepare the mixture for the crosses by whisking together the flour and water until a smooth paste. Transfer the paste into a piping bag and snip the end to make a fine hole.
- Pipe a cross on top of each bun, then bake them in the oven for 15-20 mins or until golden.
- Meanwhile, mix the jam and water. Brush over the buns to glaze as you take the buns out from the oven.
- Turn the rolls out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.
1. Combine the flour, salt, yeast, milk and sugar 
2. Slowly add in the water 
3. Add in butter and egg and mix 
4. Add in raisins, orange zest and mixed spice and mix on low speed 
5. Form soft dough to a ball and cover 
6. Let it rise until double in size 
7. Tip the dough out and knead for a few seconds 
8. Cut into 16 pieces 
9. Roll to a smooth ball and transfer to baking tray 
10. Cover and let them rise until double in size 
11. Transfer the flour and water paste to a piping bag 
12. Pipe the cross on top of each bun 
13. Prepare the jam glaze 
14. Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden 
15. Brush glaze over the baked buns 16. Transfer to wire rack to cool
Recipe Note:
- Different types of flour absorb water differently so you might need to adjust the amount of water needed for the dough. Slowly add in water into the dry mixture and knead until the dough comes away from your mixer bowl.
- I used pre-mixed mixed spice but if you don’t have that on hand, you can make your own by mixing 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, 1 tsp of ground cloves, ground coriander, ground ginger, and 2 tsp of ground mace.
- You can use any fruits you like, e.g. raisins, sultanas, apples, currants etc. As I have raisins on hand, I’ve used that in this recipe.
Baking Equipment:
- Bowl
- Mixer with hook attachment
- Dough scrapper
- Cling film/tea towel
- Digital scale
- Measuring spoons
- Pastry board/mat
- Baking tray layered with baking paper
- Cooling rack
Nothing beats freshly baked hot cross buns. Enjoy it with spread of butter. For the crosses : To finish: *I’m using standard Australian cooking measurement to convert grams to cupHot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Directions
Recipe Note:
- I usually use dry yeast as it is easily available and easy to use. 1 packet is 7g so I would use 1 packet for most of the bread recipe.
- Slowly add in water to form a dough rather than adding all the water in one go as different flour absorb water differently. Add more if too dry, add less if too wet.
- You can make your own mixed spice by mixing 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, 1 tsp of ground cloves, ground coriander, ground ginger, and 2 tsp of ground mace.
Nutrition Per Serving (Based on 16 servings, excluding cross and jam glaze):
| NUTRITION INFORMATION | AVE QUANTITY PER SERVING |
|---|---|
| Calories | 179kcal |
| Protein | 4.6g |
| Fat (total) | 3.9g |
| – Saturated Fat | 2.0g |
| Carbohydrate | 30.8g |
| Sugars | 8.0g |
| Sodium | 250mg |
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