The tastiest hot cross buns

There's nothing more delicious at this time of year than a hot cross bun.  While you can always pop to your local supermarket and pick up a pack, they're surprisingly easy to make if you fancied giving it a go.  Read on to learn how to make one of our favourite hot cross bun recipes.

 

you will need

 

3 tsp rapid yeast

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cups warm milk

4 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sultanas

1-2 oranges, just for the zest

50g unsalted butter

1 egg

1/4 cup bread flour

1/2 cup white flour

5 tbsp water

1 tbsp apricot jam

 

 

method

1. Put your flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, salt and mixed spice into a bowl, and mix it all together with a dough-hook attachment.

2. Add butter, milk, sultanas, orange zest and egg to the bowl.

3. Keep mixing until your dough takes on an elastic, stretchy form.  Keep gradually adding flour to the dough, don't let it stick to the sides of the bowl.  Keep going until your dough is smooth and doesn't break. If you don't have a mixer, you can work the dough by hand!

4. Leave the dough in a bowl with clingfilm over the top for a minimum of 30 minutes to rise. 

5. Pop the dough out onto the counter and shape it into a log.  Cut into 12 pieces.  Gather each piece into a bowl, and place onto a baking tray.

6. Put cling film over the top of the tray, and put the whole tray in a warm place for 35 minutes, so the dough can rise.

7. Preheat the oven. In the meantime, it's time to prepare the crosses for the tops. Mix white flour and water and put into a piping bag.

8. Remove the cling film from the top of the tray, and pipe a cross on the tops of each bun.

9. Bake the buns in the oven at 180 degrees, or until the tops are golden brown.  

10. Place the jam and water in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Brush the tops of the buns lightly, and allow the buns to cool.