Hot cross buns
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Ingredients
Traditional spiced, sticky glazed fruit buns with pastry crosses. Often served as a classic Easter treat, the buns can also be enjoyed at any time of year as teacakes (just without the crosses!).
For the buns
- 490g strong white flour
- 200g mixed dried fruit
- Zest of one large orange
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- 7g easy bake yeast
- 1.5 tsps mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Large pinch of salt
- 250 ml warm RSPCA Assured milk
- 50g butter, melted
- 1 RSPCA Assured egg, whisked
- Butter for greasing
- Flour for dusting
For the glaze
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- 2 tbs water
For the crosses
- 2 tbs flour
- 2 tbs water
Method
- Put the flour, dried fruit, orange zest, caster sugar, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Warm the milk until it's hand-hot, melt the butter and whisk the egg. It's important the milk is hand-hot when it's added or the yeast won’t activate. If the milk is too hot it will damage the yeast.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and add the warm milk, melted butter and beaten egg. Bring the mixture together with a wooden spoon and use your hands to form into a large ball.
- Lightly flour the work surface, place the ball of mixture on the floured surface and knead well for around 10 mins. The dough should be silky smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease a large bowl, place the kneaded dough into the bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for around 1.5 hours – the dough should nearly double in size.
- Punch the dough in the centre of the ball then remove to a floured work surface and knead again for about 5 mins.
- Divide into 12 parts and form into balls. Place on a greased baking tray and cover with oiled cling film.
- Mix together approximately two tablespoons of plain flour and two of water. You want to make a dough that you can roll out thinly on a floured worksurface.
- Cut strips from the rolled-out dough to form crosses on top of your buns. Moisten the base of the strips with water to affix them.
- Preheat oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Bake the buns for 15 to 20 mins, until golden.
- Make a glaze by heating two tablespoons of caster sugar and two tablespoons of water over a gentle heat until sugar has dissolved.
- Brush the buns with the glaze whilst still hot and place on a wire rack to cool.
