I was asked for my “traditional” Hot Cross Bun recipe, it took a bit of scratching around and paging through a mountain of baking books to find this gem.
In the mood for some lock-down baking over the Easter Weekend, go get yourself the list of ingredients from your closest supermarket (together with the rest of your essentials shopping) and give it a go!
INGREDIENTS:
| FOR THE DOUGH: | ||
| 675g | Self-rising Flour | 5 3/8 cups |
| 1 teaspoon | Salt | 5ml |
| 1 teaspoon | Ground Cinnamon or Mixed Spice | 5ml |
| 1 small | Nutmeg, Grated | Generous Pinch |
| 60ml | Brown Sugar | ¼ cup |
| 80ml | Mixed peel | 5 & ½ tablespoons |
| 60ml | Seedless raisins (or half raisins, half sultanas) | ¼ cup |
| 8ml | Instant dried yeast | |
| 250ml | Warm Milk | 1 cup |
| 100g | Softened Butter, room temperature | ½ cup |
| 2 | Extra-large eggs, beaten | |
| FOR THE CROSSES: | ||
| 125ml | Self-rising flour | ½ cup |
| 1 tablespoon | Butter | 15ml |
| 1ml | Baking powder | Pinch |
| 125ml | Milk | ½ cup |
| FOR THE GLAZE: | ||
| 125ml | Sugar | ½ cup |
| 1 cup | Boiling water | 250ml |
| MISE EN PLACE: | ||
|
You will need:
· Ingredients · Kitchen scale · Mixing bowls · Jug · Stand mixer; with a dough hook · Clingwrap · Greased baking tray · Pre-heated oven to 180oC · Piping bag · Small pot (for glaze) · Pastry Brush (for glaze) 1. Prepare all the ingredients prior to starting your baking. 2. Ensure you have a warm spot to leave the dough to rise before knocking back and doing a second rise. 3. Alternatives: Chocolate chips instead of raisins / Spice mix / omit the mixed peel |
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METHOD:
- Dough: Combine the yeast with tepid (lukewarm) milk in a jug (or a bowl), give it a brief whisk and let it stand to activate.
- Season the flour with the spices.
- Add the eggs and butter to the yeast mixture.
4. Add the sugar to the flour mixture.
5. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and add milk mixture. Mix well to form a soft dough.
- Stir through peel and raisins.
*Manual method: Tip dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until soft and elastic.
- Set aside the dough to rise until doubled in size. Keep it in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel.
Once the dough is double in size, remove from the mixing bowl.
- Knock dough back and divide into 16 small balls. Place balls on a greased baking tray slightly apart (about 2cm).
Set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, again.
TIP: To ensure your buns are equal in size, measure off the balls of dough on a scale to ensure they are all the same weight. Then shape into buns and place on baking tray.
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Crosses: Mix flour, butter and baking powder with enough water to make a slightly runny paste.
Spoon paste into a piping bag (or Ziploc bag with the tip snipped off).
- Pipe thin crosses onto buns.
- Bake rolls in pre-heated over of 180oC for 20-25 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
- Glaze: Mix glaze ingredients together and brush hot buns with glaze. Leave in a switched off oven, that’s still warm, for 5 minutes to set glaze. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Ideas for serving:
- https://www.biffenskitchen.com/crazy-hot-cross-buns/
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/hot-cross-bun-topping-ideas
Share and tag me in your home-made Hot Cross Bun creations this weekend!
Instagram: @NadiaBarnard1