Hot Cross Buns

It’s hard to beat a home-made hot cross bun, just out of the oven, slathered with butter and served with a ...

Hot Cross Buns

It’s hard to beat a home-made hot cross bun, just out of the oven, slathered with butter and served with a steaming up of Nerada black tea. A great Easter tradition and the perfect breakfast or snack for the long weekend. Enjoy our recipe, it’s a great one for the whole family to help out with.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup currants
  • ½ cup sultanas
  • ½ cup mixed peel
  • 40g unsalted butter, melted
  • 300ml milk, lukewarm
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • FLOUR PASTE
  • ½ cup plain flour
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons water
  • GLAZE
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar


METHOD

  1. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon, salt, currants, sultanas and mixed peel in a large bowl. Add butter, milk and eggs to flour mixture. Use a dinner knife to mix until dough almost comes together. Use clean hands to finish mixing to form a soft dough.
  2. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth. Place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1-1½ hours or until dough doubles in size.
  3. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Punch dough down to its original size. Knead for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide into 12 equal portions and shape each one into a ball. Place balls on lined tray, about 1cm apart. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until buns double in size. Preheat oven to 190°C or 170˚C fan-forced.
  4. For flour paste, mix flour and water together in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon into a small zip-lock bag. Cut off 1 corner of bag. Pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until buns are cooked through.
  5. For glaze, place water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil for 3-4 minutes. Brush warm glaze over warm hot cross buns. Serve with butter.

Makes: 12

Preparation Time: 2:30

Cooking Time: 30 mins