Recipe

Hot cross buns

Traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but why limit yourself to one day a year?

Mar 31, 2021 1:00pm
  • 30 mins cooking
  • Makes 16
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Fill your home with the scent of Easter with these beautiful hot cross buns. Fluffy yeast buns studded with fruit and that tell-tale cross.
Looking for more hot cross bun recipes?

Ingredients

Hot cross buns
  • 4 teaspoon (14g) dried yeast
  • 1/4 cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup (375ml) warm milk
  • 4 cup (600g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 60 gram (2 ounces) butter
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup (120g) sultanas
Crosses
  • 1/2 cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) water, approximately
Glaze
  • 1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon gelatine
  • 1 tablespoon water

Method

Hot cross buns
  • 1
    Whisk yeast, sugar and milk in a small bowl or jug until yeast dissolves. Cover; stand in a warm place about 10 minutes or until mixture is frothy.
  • 2
    Sift flour and spices into a large bowl; rub in butter. Stir in yeast mixture, egg and sultanas; mix to a soft, sticky dough. Cover; stand in a warm place about 45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
  • 3
    Grease a deep 22cm (9-inch) square cake pan.
  • 4
    Knead dough on a floured surface about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 pieces; knead into balls. Place balls into pan, cover; stand in a warm place about 10 minutes or until buns have risen two-thirds of the way up the pan.
  • 5
    Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F.
  • 6
    To make flour paste for crosses, combine flour and sugar in cup. Gradually blend in enough of the water to form a smooth firm paste; place in a piping bag fitted with a small plain tube. Pipe crosses on buns.
  • 7
    Bake buns about 30 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped. Turn buns, top-side up, onto a wire rack.
  • 8
    To make glaze, stir ingredients in a small saucepan over heat, without boiling, until sugar and gelatine are dissolved. Brush hot glaze on hot buns. Cool.

Notes

Buns are best made on the day of serving. Unglazed buns can be frozen for up to three months.

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