Hot Cross Buns

中文食譜按這裡

Serves : 12 buns

Preparation time : 30 minutes

Proofing time: about 1.5 hours + 1 hour

Cooking time : 25 minutes

Ingredients

Buns:

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 2 tsp of mixed spice
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp of sea salt
• zest of 1 lemon
• 300ml lukewarm milk
• 75g of golden caster sugar
• 40g of cooled melted unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 10g of active dry yeast
• 100g of raisins
• 100g of candied orange peel

Glazing:

• a small bunch of rosemary
• 2 tbsp of pure honey

Cross:

• 100ml plain flour
• 50ml milk

*If you have kids, you may use 50g of raisins, 50g of candied orange peel and 100g of dark chocolate chips.

Instructions

First of all, mix 300ml lukewarm milk, 75g of caster sugar and a pack of active dry yeast in a bowl and let it to rest for 10 minutes.

In a big bowl, pour 500g strong white bread flour inside. Then add 2 tea spoons of mixed spice, 1 tea spoon of ground cinnamon and 1 tea spoon of sea salt.

Then add the zest of one small lemon and mix well with a fork.

Make a well in the middle of the flour. Crack an egg and pour the melted butter inside.

Then pour the yeast milk mix in as well.

Mix the flour and the wet ingredients with a fork together to form a wet dough.

Flatten the dough a bit and add the raisins and orange peel.

Then start to knead the dough with your hands until the dried fruits are evenly mixed with the dough.

Cover the dough with cling film or a wet cloth and prove for 90 minutes or double its size.

Get rid of the air inside the dough and shape it into a rectagle.

Half the long dough lengthways. Then divide the dough into 12 equal portions.

Fold the dough to the middle to make it round.

Then roll it under our palm. Give it a bit of pressure at the beginning and release it slowly.

Put the buns in a baking tin lined with cooking paper. Cover with cling film and prove for another 45 to 60 minutes. You may start to pre-heat your oven to 180°C.

Meanwhile, we can combine 100ml of plain flour with 50ml of milk.

Fold a cone with a piece of cooking paper.

Put the batter inside.

Squeeze the paper cone gently to pipe crosses on the buns. Then put the buns in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25 minutes at 180°C.

Add 2 table spoons of pure honey and a small bunch of fresh rosemary in a pot. Warm it up gently for about one minute. This is a simple but delicious glaze for the buns.

Take the hot-cross buns out of the oven and brush on the glaze.

You can eat the buns hot or toast it the next day. Great breakfast or tea bread! Yum!

Cooking Tips

• If you have kids, try to use 50g of raisins, 50g of candied orange peel and 100g of dark chocolate chips instead. They would love it!
• Allow enough time for proofing to get the best flavour and texture.
• When you roll the buns, give it a little bit of pressure first then slowly let go.
• Enjoy the buns hot as a great afternoon tea. Then cut them into half and toast it and spread some butter on the next morning as breakfast.

Check out the cooking video