One of my favourite
things about Easter is Hot Cross Buns! Apparently us Brits get through 120 million over the Easter break, and I can vouch for a high percentage of that in my household! This year, Tom and I decided to
try our hand at making our own at home using a recipe from Birgit Gunz, the owner
of Frankonia Bakery. You might need to clear an afternoon to make them but I promise you, they are delicious!
Also word to the wise, you really do need a piping bag to make the crosses, I tried to improvise because I didn’t have one so these came out not looking so pretty! But like my mother always tells me, it’s not all about looks!
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Start by dissolving your yeast using lukewarm water in a small bowl
In a separate large bowl, mix your flour, sugar, salt and mixed spice together and make a
well in the centre. Place your butter in little pieces on top of the flour around the sides and pour your dissolved yeast in to the well.
Add your egg into the well and stir into the yeast
With a spatula carefully stir a bit of your flour mixture from the sides into the well, slowly adding water and more flour and butter bit by bit until it is all combined.
Empty your bowl contents onto your work surface and add your dried fruit. I found you'll need to add flour as you go to soak up the excess moisture
Now knead your dough by hand for 8-10minutes until the fruit is properly worked into the dough and feels elastic and woolly.
Place the dough back in your bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes in a warm place
After your dough has rested, take it out of the bowl, knock it back and knead for another 2 minutes or so.
Divide your dough into 30 equal pieces and form rolls. Place these on your greased baking trays so they almost touch but not quite. Cover with a damp tea towel again and leave in a warm place to rise (45 min – 1hour depending on room temperature)
Preheat your oven now to 200C
Meanwhile make your cross mixture:
Mix your flour and sugar into the water and combine until you have a smooth paste. Place this mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain tube.
Make your glaze by stirring a little water into the egg and mix well together
Once the buns have doubled in size, brush on your egg glaze and pipe a cross shape with the cross mixture onto each bun
Put your trays in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 180C. Bake buns for 20 minutes until they are golden brown. Once finished, place buns on a wire rack to cool.
If even those buns can't tempt you to make your own, Morrison’s have one of the best selections of the supermarkets I've seen! Chocolate Hot Cross buns for 99p and a whole spiced loaf for just 89p!
Also word to the wise, you really do need a piping bag to make the crosses, I tried to improvise because I didn’t have one so these came out not looking so pretty! But like my mother always tells me, it’s not all about looks!
.jpg)
What you’ll need (this recipe makes 30 buns)
For the Buns:
700g unbleached white bread flour
115g sugar
5g salt (1 teaspoon)
15g ground mixed spice (3 teaspoons)
113g butter (room temperature)
70g fresh yeast
440g dried fruit such as sultanas, currants, mixed peel (drain for 30 mins in water before you begin)
1 large egg
300ml lukewarm water
For the Buns:
700g unbleached white bread flour
115g sugar
5g salt (1 teaspoon)
15g ground mixed spice (3 teaspoons)
113g butter (room temperature)
70g fresh yeast
440g dried fruit such as sultanas, currants, mixed peel (drain for 30 mins in water before you begin)
1 large egg
300ml lukewarm water
For the
cross:
65 g flour
20g sugar
60 ml water
65 g flour
20g sugar
60 ml water
For the glaze:
1 large egg and a little water
What to do:1 large egg and a little water
Start by dissolving your yeast using lukewarm water in a small bowl
In a separate large bowl, mix your flour, sugar, salt and mixed spice together and make a
well in the centre. Place your butter in little pieces on top of the flour around the sides and pour your dissolved yeast in to the well.
Add your egg into the well and stir into the yeast
With a spatula carefully stir a bit of your flour mixture from the sides into the well, slowly adding water and more flour and butter bit by bit until it is all combined.
Empty your bowl contents onto your work surface and add your dried fruit. I found you'll need to add flour as you go to soak up the excess moisture
Now knead your dough by hand for 8-10minutes until the fruit is properly worked into the dough and feels elastic and woolly.
Place the dough back in your bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes in a warm place
After your dough has rested, take it out of the bowl, knock it back and knead for another 2 minutes or so.
Divide your dough into 30 equal pieces and form rolls. Place these on your greased baking trays so they almost touch but not quite. Cover with a damp tea towel again and leave in a warm place to rise (45 min – 1hour depending on room temperature)
Preheat your oven now to 200C
Meanwhile make your cross mixture:
Mix your flour and sugar into the water and combine until you have a smooth paste. Place this mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain tube.
Make your glaze by stirring a little water into the egg and mix well together
Once the buns have doubled in size, brush on your egg glaze and pipe a cross shape with the cross mixture onto each bun
Put your trays in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 180C. Bake buns for 20 minutes until they are golden brown. Once finished, place buns on a wire rack to cool.
If even those buns can't tempt you to make your own, Morrison’s have one of the best selections of the supermarkets I've seen! Chocolate Hot Cross buns for 99p and a whole spiced loaf for just 89p!
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