In England it is customary to eat Hot Cross Buns in the run up to the Easter holidays, as well as during the Easter weekend. Why not spend one weekend like the English and prepare these tasty buns! We recommend to eat these toasted with fresh butter. These are also great with a slice of cheese.
Ingredients
- 125 ml milk
- 11 g instant yeast
- 60 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 475 g plain flour
- 10 g fine salt
- 230 g cold butter, cut into cubes
- 150 g raisins (or other dried fruit)
- 1 lemon peel
- 5 tbsp flour mixed with 5-7 tbsp water to create a paste (for the cross)
- Apricot jam
Method
Activate the yeast with some of the milk and sugar. Add the rest of the milk, sugar, eggs, flour, salt and butter to a large mixing bowl and mix, until the dough comes clean from the bowl. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead until you have a soft stretchy dough. Return the dough to the bowl and leave to prove for two hours or until it is doubled in size,
Once the dough has proved, turn out onto a clean work surface and street out. Add the dried fruit and lemon zest, knead the dough for 1-2 minutes to mix the fruit through thoroughly. Cut the dough into portions and weigh out each ball to between 90g-100g each. Roll into balls, place on a non stick baking tray and leave to prove for 30-40 minutes or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, mix the plain flour and water together until you have a piping consistency ready to pipe your crosses. Pipe your crosses onto the top of the buns just before the buns go into the oven.
Bake at 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden.
Once the buns are ready, brush the tops with the warm apricot jam to give a nice sweet glaze. If you do not have apricot jam to hand, you can also brush with a sugar glaze.
