Hot Cross Buns with Raisins

Try your hand at homemade hot cross buns this Easter!

Hot Cross Buns with Raisins

Try your hand at homemade hot cross buns this Easter!

Serves 6

Total Time 50 mins

Ingredients

Full fat milk	300ml + 2 tbsp more
Butter	50g
Strong bread flour	500g
Salt	1 tsp
Caster sugar	75g
Sunflower oil	1 tbsp
Fast action yeast	7g
Beaten egg	1
Sultanas or raisins	75g
Mixed peel	50g
Zested orange	1
Apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped	1
Ground cinnamon	1 tsp
Plain flour, extra for dusting	75g
Water	5 tbsp
Apricot jam	3 tbsp

Cooking Method

Step 01	Bring milk to a boil then remove from heat and add butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature.
Step 02	Place salt, flour, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add one egg.
Step 03	Using a wooden spoon, mix well and bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.
Step 04	On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 5 minutes until it’s smooth and pliable.
Step 05	Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave it to rise in a warm place for an hour.
Step 06	Add sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon to the dough. Knead and leave it to rise for another hour.
Step 07	Divide the dough to 15 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured surface. Arrange buns on baking trays lined with parchment papers. Cover – but don’t wrap – with oiled cling film, and set aside for another hour.
Step 08	Heat oven to 220°C. Mix the flour with water to make the paste for the cross, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it becomes a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe it along the buns.
Step 09	Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks while jam is still warm. Brush it on top of the warm buns and leave to cool.

Legend has it that hot cross buns baked on Good Friday will not spoil!

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