Bakery-Style Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are always an Easter favourite, but homemade ones are something really special. Soft, lightly spiced and packed with fruit, these buns are full of warmth and flavour, with a beautiful citrus glaze to finish. They’re perfect for Easter baking, but just as lovely made all year round as sweet buns, a loaf or even saved for a rich bread and butter pudding later on.

Timings

Prep time: 25 minutes (plus 1 hour 40 minutes proving time)

Cooking time: 30–40 minutes

Makes: 10 buns

Ingredients

For the Hot Cross Buns

• 200ml milk

• 60g butter

• 14g yeast (2 sachets)

• 250g strong bread flour

• 200g plain flour

• 1 tbsp custard powder

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 50g caster sugar

• 1 thumb fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated

• 100g dried mixed fruit

• 2 easy peeler oranges, juiced

• 2 tbsp sugar, for the glaze

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For the Crosses

• 3 tbsp flour

• 3–4 tbsp water

Method

1. Pour the milk and butter into a small saucepan and heat gently for 2–3 minutes until warm and the butter has melted.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the strong bread flour, plain flour, yeast, custard powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and caster sugar.

3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk mixture. Mix together until a soft dough forms.

4. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and stretchy.

5. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and leave to prove for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

6. In a separate bowl, combine the dried mixed fruit and fresh ginger, then squeeze over the orange juice. Leave to soak.

7. Once the dough has proved, tip it onto the work surface and knock the air out of it.

8. Lift the soaked fruit from the juice, reserving the juice for later, and knead the fruit into the dough until evenly distributed.

9. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, roughly 100g each, and shape into balls.

10. Place the buns on a non-stick baking tray, leaving a little room between each one. Cover and leave to prove again for 30–40 minutes, or until doubled in size.

11. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

12. Mix the flour and water together to make a smooth batter, about the consistency of pancake batter, then spoon into a piping bag.

13. Pipe a cross over each bun.

14. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

15. While the buns bake, pour the reserved orange juice into a saucepan with the 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer briefly to make a syrup.

16. Remove the buns from the oven and brush immediately with the orange syrup for a glossy finish.