Making Hot Cross Buns for Easter

Today I thought I’d do something a little different for Easter, a spot of baking. Because Easter wouldn’t be Easter without hot cross buns, so yesterday Josh and I decided to make some.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the buns
300ml milk
50g unsalted butter
500g strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sunflower oil
7g sachet fast-action yeast
1 egg, beaten
125g mixed dried fruit
The zest of 1 orange
1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the cross
75g plain flour
Water
For the glaze
3 tbsp marmalade

1.) Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature.
2.) Put the flour, salt and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well. 3.) Bring everything together until you have a sticky dough.
 4.) Knead the dough for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size.
5.) With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the mixed fruit, orange zest, apple and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.
6.) Divide the dough into 15 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover with oiled cling film, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more. 7.) Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the thick paste for the cross. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.
8.) Gently heat the marmalade so that it melts, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.
And there you have it! Lots of hot cross buns to keep the family going over this bank holiday. I hope you all have a great Easter!
What do you think? I’m actually quite proud of them, all that proving and kneading, half way through I was starting to wonder if they were really worth it, but it will be nice to share these with family and friends.
Let me know in the comments what your up to this weekend. Is Easter a big thing for you and your family?
For mine it’s not, but it is a well deserved break. Time for a catch up, a cup of tea and one of these buns warmed with a little butter.
Whatever you and your family are doing this weekend, I hope you have an amazing time!

Sam

Find the original recipe for these buns at BBC Good Food by clicking here.