Hot Cross Buns

As much as I like chocolate, my favourite thing about Easter is Hot Cross Buns.  Bought ones are okay, but homemade ones are almost addictive.  It is funny that I love them so much, but don’t ever make them at any other time of the year.  It would be easy enough to make them minus the crosses, but then they just don’t have the same appeal when they aren’t Hot Cross Buns. 

When we were kids my Mum would make them every Easter and they were a real treat come Good Friday and then we would eat them throughout Easter.  We’ve now got a bit relaxed on when we are allowed to eat them and pretty much have them over the weeks leading up to Easter, hot from the oven with lots of butter for breakfast.  I always have a base first and then finish with a top, my favourite part, maybe that has something to do with the crosses. 

Our family has pretty much used the same recipe since we were kids, but have made a few adjustments over the years using ideas from other Hot Cross Bun recipes I have seen in various magazines and now I think we have the perfect recipe.

Try making these yourself and then see if you can resist having a fresh one straight from the oven slathered with butter.

Hot Cross Buns

1 ¼ cups milk (310ml)

Zest of 1 orange

3 cardamon pods, bashed

¼ cup sugar (50g)

1 ½ tablespoons dried yeast (11g)

4 ½ cups white bread flour (690g)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves (you could use 2 whole cloves instead when heating the milk)

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

125g butter

2 eggs

180g mixed fruit

80g citrus peel

40g chopped glace cherries

Crosses

½ cup plain flour

1 tablespoon melted butter or oil

5-6 tablespoons water

Glaze

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1. Place milk, orange zest, and cardamom pods (and whole cloves, if using) into a small saucepan and heat to scalding point.  Remove from heat, strain, add the sugar and cool to lukewarm.
2. Sprinkle on the yeast and mix briefly with a fork then leave in a warm place for about 10 minutes until frothy.
3. Sift together the flour, salt and spices.  Place half in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
4. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter and beaten eggs and beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Add the mixed fruit, citrus peel and glace cherries (or any combination of fruit you prefer) and work in the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
5. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and still soft.
6. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
7. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly.
8. Divide into 18 even sized pieces.  Shape into balls and place slightly apart on a greased (or lined) baking tray.  Cover and leave to rise again until double, about 20 minutes.
9. Make the dough for the crosses by mixing the flour, butter (or oil) and enough water for the mixture to be piped.
10. Pipe crosses on each risen bun.
11. Bake at 200⁰C (180⁰C fan bake) for 15-20 minutes, remove and brush the milk and sugar mixture over the buns to glaze.  Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden brown.  Enjoy!