There’s something special about smelling hot cinnamon and allspice, especially when it's coming from fresh hot cross buns at Easter! The excitement of seeing them at your local bakery, cafe or better yet coming fresh out of your oven ready to be devoured with a spread of butter and a cup of tea or coffee is real!
Get your hands dirty this easter with this yummy recipe, perfect for baking with or for your loved ones! Make them healthier or - for the choccy lovers - more chocolatey with simple adjustments to the recipe.
Buns:
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/2 cup of caster sugar (for healthier option use honey)
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
4 1/4 white bread flour (for healthier option split-half white and half wholemeal flour)
50g melted butter cooled
1 egg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp allspice
1 1/2 cups sultanas (or chocolate chips)
1-2 oranges, zest only
*for the choccy lovers add 1/3 cup cocoa
*1/4 cups of extra flour for needing dough.
Crosses:
1/2 cup flour
5 tbsp milk
*for the choccy lovers add 2Tbsp of cocoa
Glaze:
1 tbsp apricot jam
2 tsp water
Instructions:
Making the dough:
1. Place flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl, mix with a spoon.
2. Add butter, buttermilk, egg, sultanas and zest. Mix until smooth dough forms.
3. Dust a work space with flour and knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes. The dough is kneaded enough when it's smooth and doesn't break when stretched.
4. Leave dough in bowl, cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place to rise until it's doubled in size. This may take 30min to 1 1/2 hours depending on how warm it is.
Forming buns:
1. Line a tray with baking paper.
2. Remover the tea towel from the bowl and press dough to deflate.
3. Dust a work space with flour, place dough on space and shape into a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Take one piece and press down with your hand, then shape and roll into a ball.
4. Place ball of dough with the smooth side up and repeat this with remaining dough pieces.
5. Cover balls of dough with a tea towel, place in a warm spot and leave for 30-45mins, until the dough has risen again.
5. During rise time, preheat your oven to 180degrees.
Crosses:
1. Mix flour and water until a thick runny paste forms. Spoon into a piping bag or a zip lock bag then snip the corner.
2. Remove tea towel from tray, and pipe crossed onto the buns.
Bake:
1. Bake for 22 minutes, or until the surface is a deep golden brown.
2. Whilst baking, place jam and hot water in a bowl mix to combine.
3. Remove buns from the oven, and place on a cooling rack. Brush with jam mixture, allow buns to cool before serving.