Description
Homemade Easter hot cross buns dance with traditional British spices and sweet dried fruit, creating a festive bakery treat perfect for spring celebrations. Warm, pillowy bread marked with a classic cross promises delightful moments shared around family tables.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 300 milliliters (10.1 fluid ounces) warm milk
- 200 grams (7.1 ounces) mixed dried fruit
- 1 large egg
Sweeteners and Spices:
- 75 grams (2.6 ounces) sugar
- 10 grams (0.35 ounces) mixed spice powder
- 50 grams (1.8 ounces) candied peel
Additional Ingredients:
- 10 grams (0.35 ounces) salt
- 10 grams (0.35 ounces) instant yeast
- 50 grams (1.8 ounces) melted butter
Instructions
- Blend dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, creating a uniform powder mixture of flour, sugar, salt, and aromatic spices.
- Activate yeast by combining it with warm milk and melted butter, ensuring proper liquid temperature for optimal fermentation.
- Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients, incorporating the egg to form a cohesive dough.
- Knead dried fruits into the dough thoroughly, working the mixture until smooth and elastic, approximately 10 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth to prevent surface drying, and allow rising in a warm environment until volume doubles (roughly 1 hour).
- Deflate risen dough by gently pressing, then portion into 12 equal segments and shape into rounded balls.
- Arrange dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray, allowing sufficient spacing between each bun.
- Permit second proofing for 30 minutes, enabling buns to expand and become puffy.
- Heat oven to 220C (428F) while preparing a simple flour-water paste for cross decoration.
- Carefully pipe white crosses atop each bun using the prepared paste.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until buns achieve a rich golden-brown complexion.
Notes
- Check yeast freshness by dissolving in warm milk; bubbles indicate active fermentation for perfect rising.
- Use room temperature ingredients to help dough develop consistent texture and even rising.
- Soak dried fruits in warm water or rum beforehand to prevent burning and add extra moisture to the buns.
- Replace traditional wheat flour with gluten-free blend for celiac or gluten-sensitive individuals without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 196 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 167 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg