EASY HOT CROSS BUN RECIPE

 Easy Hot cross bun recipe: a lightly spiced and sweet roll served as part of a meal on good Friday! A great accompaniment to Easter dishes and beyond. Let me show you how to make it in easy steps.

EASY HOT CROSS BUN RECIPE

Easter is one of the most celebrated Christian holidays. Jesus is the reason for the season but many often forget that. We are all about hot cross buns, Easter eggs and what we will put on our tables on Easter Monday. While all these are also important, we shouldn’t forget that Christ suffered to save and get us to this point we are today. Alleluia! He is risen!

The following was an actual conversation between my daughter and I. While she is not a fan of hot cross bun because of the raisins. I am not so fussed as I believe it’s a phase and it would pass. She now eats some food she once rejected in the past. Hot cross buns are not only eaten at Easter, but you’ll also find it in the shops all year round. Whenever I have some time to kill, you will either find me baking delicious cakes or baking bread.

This happened the last time I made this easy homemade hot cross bun

Bolu: Mum, what sort of hot cross buns are these?
Me: Excuse me
Bolu: yes, because I don't understand your cross, why are they so big
Me: My sins are enormous that's why

I told her it is homemade, it doesn’t have to be perfect as long as the taste and texture are not compromised. The more rustic the better. For my easy hot cross bun recipe, I used similar measurement to my easy homemade bread and made some slight adjustment.

These easy hot cross buns are not just for Easter alone, they are perfect all year round. Man shall not live with same plain white or brown bread. That is what we have got from these spiced and sweet buns. You can even turn them into a loaf, make them into French toast or bread pudding.

I made this easy hot cross bun in my stand mixer, I threw all the ingredients in at once except the raisins which I added shortly after I started mixing. Let's get making my foolproof easy hot cross bun recipe

INGREDIENTS IN MY EASY HOT CROSS BUN

500g strong bread flour or strong plain flour, more for dusting

80g butter

1 cup currants

1 tsp ginger

75g sugar (use less or more)

1 egg  at room temperature

1 tsp allspice, substitute with ground clove

7g fast action dried yeast

280ml warm milk

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

FOR THE CROSSING

4 tbs plain flour

1 tbsp caster sugar

4 tbsp water

Vanilla essence optional

FOR GLAZING

2 tbsp honey

2tbsp water

Place in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix to combine

HOW TO MAKE HOT CROSS BUNS

Add all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix to combine

Microwave the milk and butter for 1 minute on high power. Please note: the temperature of the milk should be slightly higher than room temperature, warm to touch (tepid) If you have a thermometer, the temperature should be between 45⁰C to 54⁰C (120⁰F to 130⁰F).

Beat the egg into the milk mixture and quickly whisk together (wet ingredients).

Using the dough hook, slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients on low speed. Followed by the currants and continue to mix on medium-high speed until smooth elastic dough is formed and the dough is no longer sticking to the side of the mixing bowl. This should be between 6 to 8 minutes

If kneading by hand: after adding the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, turn it unto a lightly floured worktop and knead for at least 10 minutes

FIRST RISE:

Put the dough into an oiled bowl (use a bowl that is big enough to allow proofing) lightly oil the top of the dough then cover the bowl with cling film and kitchen towel. Place in the warmest part of your kitchen and leave to rise. This can take up to 2 hours

once the dough is risen and doubled in size, knock it back down in the bowl to let all the air out. Turn it unto a lightly floured worktop, knead it slightly to deflate the remaining air in the dough.

Divide the dough into 12 places. Roll each dough into a bun and place on an oiled baking pan leaving a bit of space in between to allow for the second rise. Lightly spray the top of the bun with cooking spray and cover with cling film. Leave to proof for the second time usually between 20 to 45 minutes.

Whilst waiting on the second rise, preheat the oven at 200⁰C (392⁰F) and 190⁰C (374⁰F) for a fan oven

Prepare the crossing paste

Add water to sugar and flour mixture to form a paste, spoon into a piping bag and leave for later

Once the buns have risen, remove the cling film. Pipe a line across each bun to form a cross

Transfer the buns into the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 20 minutes or until golden. Take the hot cross buns out of the oven and brush with honey syrup. Leave to cool for some few minutes. If you are like me, you would start eating the buns as soon as they come out of the oven.

If you made this hot cross bun recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback. Tag me @Teesfoodsandpastries on Instagram 

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