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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!