How to Make Hot Cross Buns - Easter Recipes
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
 
This step-by-step demonstration will show you exactly how to bake the best hot cross buns at home! Follow the simple instructions and you will have amazing hot cross buns at home!
Ingredients
For the dough
  • 500g Strong white flour
  • 50g Butter
  • 3 Tbs Caster Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ Tsp Allspice
  • ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1½ Tsp Yeast
  • 1 Large egg
  • 275ml Milk
  • 125g Seedless raisins
For the crosses
  • 125g Strong white flour
  • 9 Tbs Water (135ml)
For the glaze
  • 4 Tbs Milk (60ml)
  • 2 Tbs Caster sugar
Instructions
  1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl along with the butter
  2. Using your fingertips, massage the butter into the flour until it is thoroughly mixed in and the flour resembles fine bread crumbs
  3. Add the caster sugar, salt, spices and yeast and mix them in
  4. Whisk the egg, add it to the bowl and mix it in thoroughly
  5. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the milk
  6. Using a wooden paddle, mix the milk into the flour until the dough comes together and comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl
  7. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and start to knead the dough firmly but gently. (Please view the video)
  8. DO NOT use extra flour on the work surface. If the dough is slightly sticky, work through the stickiness. The stickiness will subside and the dough will pick up anything it has left on the work surface and your hands. A dough scraper is also useful in this regard
  9. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise for 60 minutes
  10. Turn the dough back out onto the work surface and start to knead again. This time adding some of the raisins every time you stretch the dough out.
  11. Once all of the raisins are incorporated, roll the dough into a sausage and cut it into four equal parts. Roll each quarter into a sausage and cut into thirds.
  12. Take one of the pieces of dough. Arch your fingers over the dough, with your fingertips touching the work surface. Moving your hand in a circular motion will form the dough into smooth balls. Repeat this until all 12 buns are formed.
  13. Grease a baking sheet. Transfer the buns to the baking sheet. Loosely cover the buns with greased cling film, and allow the buns to rise for a further 30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size
  14. Pre-heat your oven to 200c or 400f
  15. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the 125g of flour with 135ml water. Mix this thoroughly to form a sticky, wet dough
  16. Transfer this to a piping bag
  17. Uncover the buns, and pipe the crosses onto the buns
  18. Put the buns into the oven and bake for 15 minutes until they are golden brown
  19. While the buns are baking, mix the 2 Tbs of caster sugar with the 60ml of milk. Heat this in a pan over medium heat until the solution just comes to the boil and turns to a thin syrup. Remove from the heat
  20. Remove the buns from the oven and immediately paint the tops of the buns with the syrup. After 5 minutes, transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool
  21. Store the buns in an air-tight container – if they last that long!
Recipe by Whats4Chow at https://whats4chow.com/2014/04/13/how-to-make-hot-cross-buns-easter-recipes/