How to make hot cross buns

Celebrate the joy of Easter by baking a batch of homemade hot cross buns. You'll be sure to master these seasonal spiced treats in no time and they'll be perfect with a cuppa over the long weekend.   

Ingredients:

• 500g strong bread flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• 50g unsalted butter, diced
• 200ml full-fat milk
• 2 medium eggs
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 100g sultanas or raisins
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon

For the crosses:

• 75g plain flour
• Water

For the glaze:

• 3 tbsp apricot jam

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, caster sugar, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
2. Add the diced butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's just heated, then remove from heat.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly and add them to the warm milk along with the yeast. Mix well.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture.
6. Stir the mixture until it forms a dough, then turn it out onto a floured surface.
7. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
8. Place the dough in a clean, greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
9. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead in the sultanas or raisins and the zest of the orange and lemon until evenly distributed.
10. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball.
11. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one.
12. Cover the tray with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for another 30-45 minutes.
13. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
14. For the crosses, mix the plain flour with enough water to form a thick paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag and pipe crosses onto the buns.
15. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
16. While the buns are baking, heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan until melted.
17. Once the buns are baked, remove them from the oven and brush the tops with the melted apricot jam to glaze.
18. Allow the buns to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

And there you have it! We'd love to see your creations, tag us @carolinegardnerofficial for a chance to be featured on our story!