Hot Cross Buns - Ordinary and Sourdough
Hot cross buns are quintessentially Easter, along with the chocolate eggs, and I know that a lot of people dislike the fact that they are available from Christmas, but I think, if they sell, then make them. They are delicious and a great little snack to keep you going.
The key to hot cross buns is the spice and I’ve found over the years that a lot of the recipes don’t have enough spice. I have included cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice in this recipe, but you could use whatever spices you like, such as ginger, star anise or cloves as well. This batch of hot cross buns makes 32 small buns; however, you could make them bigger and make about 20-24.
I have also had a bit of a play around with flours and have ended up using a combination of wholemeal flour (for some added fibre), plain flour and bakers’ flour, which helps to make them a bit lighter and fluffier due to the higher gluten content of baker’s flour. Dried fruit is another key element to hot cross buns. I think that mixed peel is essential in hot cross buns, but a lot people dislike it. I have paired it with sultanas and currants, but once again, you can use whatever dried fruit you like or even make them into chocolate chip hot cross buns if you wish.
The kids absolutely love hot cross buns, so making them myself is really a no brainer, and they freeze exceptionally well and ready with a 15 second zap in the microwave or toasted in the oven or toaster. The kids helped me roll the dough into balls and thought they were pretty clever. They also found the process of adding the cross to be quite entertaining.
If you haven’t tried making hot cross buns before, give them a go for Easter this year. They are a bit time consuming, but pretty easy overall.
Enjoy xx
Original Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups baker’s flour
1 1/2 cups wholemeal plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup currants
3/4 cup sultanas
30g mixed peel, finely chopped
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
1 tbs dried yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
50g butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
Crosses:
1/4 cup plain flour
4 tbs water
Glaze:
1/4 cup castor sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup water
Method:
Place lukewarm milk, 1 tbs of the brown sugar and the yeast into a small bowl, stir and set aside for 5 minutes or until it becomes foamy.
Place flour, spices, rind, salt, dried fruit and remaining sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached.
Once the yeast mixture is foamy, add to the stand mixer and turn speed to medium to combine. Add butter and lightly beaten egg and mix until dough comes together. You may need to stop the mixer occasionally to press the dried fruit into the dough.
Beat for about 5 minutes or knead by hand for ~ 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl, cover with cling wrap and place into a warm spot for 1.5 – 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
Knock the dough down and knead on a lightly floured surface for 1-2 minutes.
Divide the dough into 32 pieces for small buns or 20-24 pieces for larger buns. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place onto a baking tray about 1cm apart. Cover and place into warm spot for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare the mixture for the crosses by mixing the flour and water together into a smooth paste. Once the 30 minutes have passed, apply the crosses by putting the flour mixture into a zip lock bag. Cut the corner off the bag to make a piping bag. Carefully apply the crosses then place buns into oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped on top.
While the hot cross buns are cooking, prepare the glaze by mixing sugar, water and cinnamon together in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Once the hot cross buns are cooked, remove from the oven and brush glaze over the buns.
Enjoy straight out of the oven or store in an airtight container or in the freezer.
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
After many years of making the above hot cross buns, I have decided to utilise my sourdough baking skills and make some sourdough hot cross buns, and wow! They are good. If you have the time and the patience, I suggest trying these sourdough hot cross buns for something different.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
2 eggs
50g butter, melted
3/4 cup active sourdough starter
2 cups plain flour
2 cups wholemeal plain flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup currants
3/4 cup sultanas
50g mixed peel, finely chopped
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
Crosses:
1/4 cup plain flour
4 tbs water
Glaze:
1/4 cup castor sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup water
Method:
Ensure that sourdough starter has been recently fed and is bubbling and active.
Place milk, butter eggs and starter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook and beat for 1-2 minutes.
Add the wholemeal flour and half of the plain flour, along with the sugar, spices, salt, dried fruit, mixed peel and zest and beat to combine. Add the remaining plain flour and beat on medium-low speed until the dough clears the side of the bowl. This should take around 10-15 minutes.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow it to sit, covered for 4-5 hours. Each hour of this time, uncover the dough and fold by taking one side of the dough and folding it over to the other, turn the bowl 90 degrees and fold again, repeat until all four sides have been folded over, then flip the ball of dough over and leave for another hour. Repeat this fold each hour. During this time the dough should start to soften and become more elastic.
Place the dough into the refrigerator overnight.
The following day, remove from the refrigerator and divide the dough into 18-24 pieces, depending on the size of the buns that you want and form into bun shapes and place on a baking tray, lined with baking paper and allow to prove for 2 hours at room temperature.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C and mix the flour and water to a smooth paste for the crosses. Put the paste into a small ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag and pipe crosses onto the buns.
Place in the oven and bake for ~20 minutes or until golden brown and they make a hollow sound when tapped.
While the buns are cooking, place the ingredients for the glaze into a small saucepan and stir over medium heat, until sugar dissolves.
Once the buns are cooked, remove from the oven and brush on the glaze.
Enjoy warm with a generous spread of butter.