Who doesn’t love a hot cross bun? You can also modify this recipe to your heart’s content—currants in place of raisins, candied ginger, adjust the spices, add mixed peel or freshly grated zest, etc. It’s up to you! Happy Easter, and happy baking friends.
Ingredients:
160 mL milk, (½ cup, 1 tbsp, 1 tsp)
10 g ( 3.2-3.3 tsp) dried instant yeast
55 g (¼ cup) granulated or organic cane sugar
450 g (2 cups + ¾ cup + 1 tbsp) organic all-purpose flour
5 g (1 tsp) sea salt
2 large fresh eggs
85 g (3/8 cup) unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
115 g (½ cup) raisins, soaked in boiling water
25 g (¼ cup) mixed citrus peel (optional)
Method:
- Pre-heat your oven to 360F (convection: 350F). Grease 2 x 9×5” shallow loaf tins or one 9×9” brownie tin
- Soak the raisins in very hot water and set aside for 30 mins. After 30 minutes, strain thoroughly.
- Scale all of the dry ingredients (including the yeast) together and place in a bowl of a table top mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix to combine. You can also mix by hand if you don’t have a mixer.
- Rub in the softened butter until you achieve a breadcrumb consistency.
- Warm the milk ever so slightly (should be room temp or just warm) and add to the mix, followed by the eggs, then the raisins.
- At this point, if using a stand mixer, switch to a dough hook. If mixing by hand, turn out onto a bench lightly dusted with flour and knead until very smooth and elasticated.
- Place the dough in a covered bowl and leave it in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.
Glazing syrup and icing:
250 g (1 cup + 3 tbsp) organic cane sugar or granulated125 g (½ cup) water
200 g (1¼ cups + 2 tbsp) icing sugar
2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla
Method:
- While you’re waiting for the dough to rise, make the glazing syrup. Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat (do not stir) and set aside.
- Next, make the icing. Mix the sugar, water and vanilla together to make a thick paste. Place in a piping bag fitted with your preferred nozzle, or leave aside to drizzle on top of the buns with a spoon.
- Once the dough has double in size (approx. 2-3 hours), divide into 80-85gm portions and roll into tight balls. Place these in your greased tins and into the oven. For extra moist & fluffy buns, place a shallow pan with water in the bottom of the oven.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until dark golden brown on top. Turn out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Brush the tops with the glazing syrup while they’re still warm.
- Once cooled, drizzle or pipe on your crosses. You may now eat!
Makes 12.
As seen on Eat North, Scout Magazine, and BC Living.