Hot Cross Buns Recipe

12 standard portions

Source field check · Original source retained

View original recipe

Ingredients

• 220 ml Milk
• 50 g Butter
• 450 g Strong white bread flour
• 1 tsp Fine salt
• 7 g Fast-action yeast sachet
• 3 tsp Mixed spice
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 45 g Caster sugar
• 60 g Candied peel
• 80 g Sultanas
• 1 Egg (Beaten)
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 50 g Plain flour
• 2 tbsp Apricot jam

Method

1. Heat the milk, either on the hob or in the microwave, until it is hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Put to one side and allow the butter to melt into the milk as the milk cools.
2. Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
3. Add the candid peel and sultanas and stir.
4. When the milk and butter mixture is tepid, pour it all into the flour mixture and add in the beaten egg.
5. Bring the mixture together to form a dough and turn out and knead for 5 minutes until springy.
6. Place in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film.
7. Allow to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.
8. After this time, the dough should have doubled in size. Portion it into 12 pieces and form into buns by stretching the edges of each one down and under using the edge of your hand, until they make neat, tight balls. Place onto an oiled baking tray.
9. Cover again with the oiled clingfilm and allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.
10. Heat your oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
11. Very gently brush the tops of the buns with the 2 tbsp milk, being very careful not to dent them. (This helps keep the tops of the buns soft.)
12. For the crosses, mix the flour with enough water to make a soft paste. Use a piping bag (or sandwich bag with the end snipped off) to pipe crosses onto each bun.
13. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are a lovely dark golden colour.
14. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush over the apricot jam.