Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns are soft, sweet buns with spices, like cinnamon. You'll see a cross on top, reminding people of Jesus' crucifixion. These buns have been around for a long time and are loved by many during Easter.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml
- 3 cups or 350 grams of all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup or 50 grams of sugar
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- ½ tsp all spice powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 room-temperature egg
- ½ cup raisins
- ¾ cup or 185 ml of milk
- ¼ cup or 50 grams of room-temperature softened unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp milk for brushing
For the cross
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp sugar
- Water as needed
For the glaze
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- ¼ cup of Apricot jam or marmalade or melted butter
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl or a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant yeast, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt.
- Note: Skip adding salt if you are using salted butter.
- Add a room-temperature egg, then gradually pour in the lukewarm milk while the mixer runs with the dough hook attachment. Knead for about 8-10 minutes.
- After it passed the windowpane test (see notes) add the room-temperature softened butter in 3 additions, 1 tablespoon at each addition. Add the raisins and let the dough combine well.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Punch down the risen dough divide it into equal portions and shape each into a bun. Each portion weighs approximately around 80-85 grams.
- Once it is shaped, cover it again with a kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place for the second proofing. After 1 to 2 hours, the bun rises. Brush the buns with milk.
- For the cross mixture, mix the flour and water to form a thick paste. Transfer the paste to a piping bag or a plastic sandwich bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe a cross onto the top of each bun.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C.
- Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the buns are baking, heat the apricot jam or marmalade in a small saucepan.
- Once the buns are out of the oven, brush them with warm jam, marmalade or melted butter to create a shiny glaze.
- Allow the buns to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
Windowpane test
The windowpane test is the best way to test whether the dough is sufficiently kneaded. Take a small ball of the dough and stretch it into a square. Keep on stretching until it becomes a thin film in the middle without breaking. The dough must be thin enough to pass light through it. If it is obtained without tearing, your dough is properly kneaded.
If your dough breaks easily, keep kneading and repeat the test in a few minutes.
