The smell of a warm hot cross bun is a memorable one and of course a reminder that Easter is coming (and we’ve been reminded since the day after Christmas when they started stocking their shelves!).

I have never been a huge hot cross bun lover (mainly because I DESPISE sultanas) but I must admit with having the kids and buying them around Easter time, I have thoroughly been enjoying them warmed with lashing of butter. I love the aromatic spices from a tradition hot cross bun but I should probably start adding chocolate chips to mine instead of sultanas!

I haven’t tried a lot of recipes for hot cross buns. In fact, I think this is my third. However, this is the best one. I did search high and low, read lots of reviews and notes in the recipes and decided on one from Recipe Tin Eats. She sounded like she knew her stuff and instructions were simple to follow and really helpful.

Some top tips I picked up on hot cross buns is making sure the yeast is active. If it’s not active, it won’t work. The way to tell this when dissolving it with the water, it should froth up after 5 minutes. I also didn’t know that once opened, yeast should be kept in the fridge to stay fresh and activated! There’ a little tidbit for you! Or you probably knew already. Ha.

Another tip, the room needs to be warm for rising times but to boost it you can turn on the dryer for a few minutes before placing your bowl of dough in it to leave it rise. I loved this tip and it worked perfectly!

I also used my mixer to knead the dough which helped a lot more than my hands would.

Bread flour works much better than normal flour!

Try this recipe and the above tips and you’re sure to get fluffy, delicious hot cross buns, just in time for Easter.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Ingredients

Buns:

1 tablespoon dry yeast

110g / ½ cup caster sugar

1½ cups of milk, lukewarm (I nuked mine in the mircowave for 15-20 secs)

4¼ cups bread flour (637.5g) + 1/4 cup extra

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp All Spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups / 210g sultanas (or chocolate chips

zest of 1 orange

50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg, at room temperature

Crosses:

1/2 cup flour (any white flour)

5 tbsp water

Glaze:

1 tbsp apricot jam

2 tsp water

Instructions:

1. Put yeast and 2 tsps of the caster sugar in a bowl (you’re best to measure it all out here and take the 2 tsps from that), then add warm milk. Leave for five minutes until frothy!

2. Once frothy, add remaining bun ingredients including remaining sugar.

3. Use your mixer with the dough hook attached to combine the dough until smooth and elastic. You can add extra flour here if needed but the dough shouldn’t stick to the bowl and should be smooth and stretchy. (You can also work with your hands for around 10minutes)

4. Leave the dough in a bowl, cover with a wet (clean) tea towel and place in a warm place (like your dryer) until doubled in size, which will normally take 60-90 minutes.

5. Line a rectangle baking tray with baking paper with overhang.

6. Punch the dough to deflate.

7. Dust work surface with flour, place dough on work surface, knead lightly and shape into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces and roll each in to a evenly sized ball and place on tray side by side. Spray a piece of cling wrap with oil and place over the tray.

8. Return to a warm place and lever for another 30-45 minutes until the dough has risen almost double its size again. Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 180 C.

9. For the crosses-mix flour and water until a runny paste forms. I always have trouble with this but it’s best to pour all of the water over top of the flour at once instead of each TBSP and then quickly mix to get a runny enough paste. Spoon in to a piping bag and pipe on the crosses over the buns.

10. Bake for 20 minutes (fan / convention) or 23 minutes (standard), or until the surface is a deep golden brown. Meanwhile, place jam and water in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds until combined.

11. Brush over the top of warm buns and leave to cool until they are warm, and serve.

Recipe from Recipe Tin Eats