What is Easter without Hot Cross Buns? This famous bun is usually made with fruit, often spicy and sweet, marked with a cross on the top! To mark the end of the lent season, Christians traditionally ate the hot cross buns on Good Friday.
Did you know the different parts of the hot cross bun have its own significant meaning? Whereas the cross in the bun symbolises the cross of Christ and his death, the spices put in the bun allude to the spices that was embalmed in Jesus before he was put in the tomb. Additionally, An orange or lemon zest is added to the bun’s ingredients to signify Jesus’ time of pain and bitterness on the cross.
Hot cross buns are easily everyone’s favourite dessert during the Easter, and nothing beats the homemade version! Why don’t you join us in baking some buns this season? We have the perfect recipe for you!
Hot Cross Buns Recipe (Batch of 6)
Cross Paste
Ingredients: 35g Bread Flour, 47½ml of cold water.
Method:
- Mix the bread flour with the cold water and whisk until it forms a nice, smooth paste.
- You can set it down for an hour and pour into a piping bag.
Sugar Syrup
Ingredients: 55g Caster Sugar, 75ml of boiling hot water.
Method:
- Mix the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to boil until it turns into a syrup.
Buns
Ingredients: 250g Strong White Flour, 37½g Caster Sugar, 1tbsp Mixed Spice, 1tsp Cinnamon, 5g Yeast, 5g Salt, Orange or Lemon Zest, 40g Melted Butter, 1 Beaten Egg, 150ml Warmed Milk, Fruits and Sultanas, some oil.
Method:
- Put the strong white flour in a large bowl. After, add the caster sugar, mixed spice, and cinnamon, yeast, and salt. Make sure these ingredients are opposite side of each other and not on top of each other!
- Add the lemon or orange zest, melted butter, a beaten egg, and the warmed milk, and use a mixer to mix all the ingredients! You can order for The Essentials C12HMW17 Hand Mixer if you don’t already own a mixer!
- If you prefer not to use a mixer, you can add all the ingredients (except the warmed milk). Slowly add the milk to form a soft sticky dough.
- When an even texture is achieved, take out your dough and put it on a lightly floured surface. Mix the dough with your fruits and sultanas and knead the mixture until it is smooth and elastic.
- Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with a warm damp tea towel or an oiled cling film and leave it to rise for about an hour and a half. Knead your dough again with a little flour and leave it to rise for an open texture.
- Shape the buns and arrange them on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper. Cover with an oiled cling film and leave it for an hour. Make sure to leave enough space between the buns to allow rising! Order your parchment paper from here!
Piping and Baking
- Pipe your crosses on the buns and pre-heat your oven. Set the oven at 200C and bake your buns for about 15-20 minutes. Looking for an oven to purchase? The Samsung Electric Oven can do the job just right!
- While the sugar syrup is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool. You can use The GoodHome Grill Oil Brush for this task!
Your Hot Cross Buns are ready to serve!
We hope you enjoyed this recipe. Also, don’t forget to tell us in the comments how your buns turned out. Contact us at [email protected] for more info.