Easter is the perfect time to enjoy delicious treats and hot cross buns are one of our favourites!
These spiced, fruit-filled buns have been an integral part of Easter celebrations for centuries, and we can see why.
We’re sharing our favourite recipe so you can brighten your day with this Easter snack:
Ingredients:
- 300ml milk of your choice, warmed
- Sachet of active dry yeast (7g)
- 50g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 500g bread flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 75g raisins or sultanas (swap for chocolate chips if preferred)
- 1/4 cup candied orange peel, chopped (optional)
For the crosses:
- 75g plain flour
- 1/3 cup water
For the glaze:
- 1 tbs caster sugar
Instructions:
Step 1
Combine the warmed milk and butter in a bowl.
Add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast to a separate bowl and mix. Then, add the milk and butter to the dry ingredients, along with the beaten egg and mix well until a dough forms.
Step 2
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 3
Once the dough has proved, add in your raisins or chocolate, along with the orange peel and spices.
Knead into the dough until combined and leave it to rise for another hour. You can use this time to get started on the washing up, or busy yourself with some Easter decorating…
Step 4
Once the dough has risen, divide it into 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Whilst preparing the buns, preheat your oven to 200°C.
You can then prepare the cross mixture by combining about 75ml of water with the plain flour.
Transfer the paste to a piping bag and start to decorate the buns – which is the best part!
Step 5
Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
While the buns are baking, prepare the glaze by combining sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly.
Remove the buns from the oven and immediately brush them with the warm sugar glaze.
Then you can leave the buns to cool and enjoy them with your spread of choice. Nothing beats butter and jam in our opinion!
Find the original recipe here.
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