top of page
Writer's pictureMichelle Hawes

Spiced and Fruity Homemade Hotcross Buns.


Makes 12


7g Packet of fast action yeast

4 1/2 cups of bread flour

1/2 cup of caster sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups of sultanas

1/2 cup Mixed Peel ( I used M&S Italian Mixed Peel)

50 g unsalted butter melted and cooled

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2tsp all spice

1 1/2 cups of warm milk

1 Medium Egg

Marmalade or maple syrup for the glaze



I used a stand mixer but if you want to kneed these by hand you can do.


Firstly, put all your dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. Yeast, flour, spices, sugar & salt. Give them all a good mix for a few minutes.


Put the kneed attachment on and slowly add the wet ingredients and fruit or just mix with a wooden spoon. Mix on speed two until they are all combined and then turn up to speed 5 and kneed for 4 or 5 minutes until you have a smooth elastic dough.


Alternatively dust your work surface and kneed by hand for 10 minutes.


Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a warm dry place until it has doubled in size. Should take about 1 hr but maybe a bit longer on a cold day.



Next you need to punch the air out of the dough and then give it a second kneed. Doesn't need to be as long. Just a few minutes in the stand mixer or another 5 minutes if doing it by hand.


Roll the dough into a sausage shape making it as even as possible. Divide the sausage up into 12 pieces.



Form each piece into a little bun shape using the money back method. So keep pulling in the sides into the middle so when you turn it over you have a lovely smooth round ball.


Place them on a baking tray leaving space between them. Lightly cover with cling film and leave them to rise again until they have almost doubled.


Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.


Make a mixture of flour and water. It needs to be runny enough to to pour but it also needs to be stable enough to hold a neat line so have a practice with it first.


Take the cling film off your buns and run lines across the top to form crosses.



Place the tray into the oven and cook at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.


Meanwhile mix a tbsp of your Marmalade or maple syrup with warm water and mix until its all dissolved.


For the last minutes of cooking time use a pastry brush to glaze the buns with the liquid and then return them to the oven!


Happy Baking!


Best served toasted with lots of butter and maybe some jam!!



73 views

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page