Once again, the cold march of Winter has given way to the warm embrace of Spring, and as a result, the strange festival of Easter looms on the horizon. So, as we all look to celebrate this annual blend of eggs, bunnies, and eye-popping biblical occurrences, lets bake up a seasonal feast of Hot Cross Buns. This tasty treat marks one of the rare occurrences of the English actually using the spices they ‘found,’ and therefore deserves a little more respect than the average bun. So, with that brief introduction out of the way, let’s get this baking show on the road!
Biblically Accurate Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- 1 Baking Tray (approximately 30x25x4cm (12x9x2 inches))
Ingredients
- 500g (1lb) Strong Bread Flour
- 10g (3tsp) Dry Yeast
- 120g (4oz) Caster Sugar
- 20g (2 oranges) Grated Orange Peel
- 6g (1tsp) Salt
- 6g (2tsp) Cinnamon Powder
- 6g (2tsp) Allspice Powder (substitute 2g Ground Nutmeg, 2g Ginger Powder, 2g Ground Cloves)
- 100g (2) Eggs
- 50g (2oz) Unsalted Butter
- 225g (8oz) Milk
- 30g (1oz) Water
- 200g (7oz) Sultanas (or Raisins)
For the Crosses
- 75g (2½oz) All Purpose Flour
- 75g (2½oz) Water
For the Glaze
- 50g (2oz) Apricot Jam
- 25g (1oz) Water
Instructions
- Find yourself a big old mixing bowl, and add 500g of White Bread Flour, 10g of Instant Dry Yeast, 120g of Caster Sugar, 6g of Salt, 20g of Grated Orange Peel, 6g of Cinnamon powder, and 6g of Allspice Powder and give the whole thing a quick mix
- Next, heat 50g of Butter in a small saucepan until it has completely melted and is bubbling away. Then pour in 225g of Milk and 30g of Water, and immediately turn off the heat
- Check the temperature of the Milk and Butter broth, it should neither be hot or cold to the touch, then when satisfied pour it in with the flour mix, along with 100g of beaten Egg
- Using your preferred stirring implement, mix the ingredients together until fully combined. Then, turn the whole lot out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead solidly for around 10 minutes. Alternatively, use a hi-tech kneading machine to do the work for you!
- Once kneaded, return the dough ball to the mixing bowl, run a lightly oiled finger around the rim (this will help create a seal) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap
- Leave the bowl somewhere relatively warm until it has doubled in size. Depending on your climate, ambient temperature and elevation, this can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours!
- When it has doubled in size, return the dough to your work surface, knock out all the air, and knead in 200g of Sultanas
- Once sufficiently distributed, roll the dough into a long sausage shape, and chop it into 12 fairly even pieces. Then, take each piece and roll it between your two hands until it vaguely resembles a sphere, then pinch the underside to create a tight ball shape
- Next, generously line a designated oven tray with baking paper and place the dough balls on it leaving around 1cm between each one
- Cover the tray with plastic wrap, and again leave the dough somewhere warm to rise. This time, until they have increased in size by around 80%
- Once almost risen, pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Fan 160°C, Gas Mark 4)
- Now, combine 75g of All Purpose Flour with 75g of water, and mix into a thick paste. Then transfer to a piping bag, and do your best to pipe crosses on top of the buns
- When the oven has reached the required temperature, bake the Hot Cross Buns for 25-30 minutes, until they are a deep brown colour, while the crosses remain pale in comparison
- Once cooked, and while they are still relatively hot, place 50g of Apricot Jam and 25g of Water in a small saucepan, and heat until the jam has completely dissolved and the whole thing starts bubbling. Then, using a pastry brush, carefully distribute the jam mix over all of the buns
- Move the buns to a wire rack and leave to cool a little (around 10 minutes). Then distribute them to the hungry masses
Nutrition
The Ideal Baking Tray for Hot Cross Buns
The eagle-eyed reader out there may have noticed that I am not the proud owner of the perfect Hot Cross Bun tray. However, I did manage to make do with a generic alternative that I found in my disorganised cupboard of baking supplies. To make the perfect buns, you essentially need something that will contain the fully risen dessert breads, while also maintaining a uniform shape. Therefore, find yourself something with high sides that will not allow your buns to follow the path of least resistance. As a result, I have deemed that the ideal baking tray comes in at around 30x25x4 centimetres, or 12x9x2 inches.
Tasty Spices
Traditionally, Hot Cross Buns will get their additional flavours from Allspice, the dried unripe berry of Pimenta dioica tree, named for its resemblance to a combination of several spices. Personally, I prefer the results I get when mixing ginger, nutmeg and cloves, however, go with whichever option is most convenient to you.
Hot Cross Buns’ Chelsea Cousin
If the culinary journey into the world of Hot Cross Buns has whet your dessert bread appetite, why not delve even further by getting to grips with this excellent Chelsea Buns recipe!
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