Spiced Hot Cross Buns Recipes

SPICED HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl with the spices and dried fruit and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, 50ml warm water, the beaten egg and the melted butter. Mix everything together to form a dough - start with a wooden spoon and finish with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add a little more warm water; if it's too wet, add more flour.
• Knead in the bowl or on a floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and springy. Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until roughly doubled in size - this will take about 1 hr depending on how warm the room is.
• Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for a few secs, then divide into 12 even portions - I roll my dough into a long sausage shape, then quarter and divide each quarter into 3 pieces. Shape each portion into a smooth round and place on a baking sheet greased with butter, leaving some room between each bun for it to rise.
• Use a small, sharp knife to score a cross on the top of each bun, then cover with the damp tea towel again and leave in a warm place to prove for 20 mins until almost doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When the buns are ready to bake, mix the plain flour with just enough water to give you a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag (or into a plastic food bag and snip the corner off) and pipe a white cross into the crosses you cut earlier. Bake for 12-15 mins until the buns are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. While still warm, melt the granulated sugar with 1 tbsp water in a small pan, then brush over the buns.

TRADITIONAL FRUITY AND SPICED HOT CROSS BUNS: BREAD-MAKER

Steps:

• Put all of the Hot Cross Bun ingredients into your break maker in the order listed, excepting the dried fruit.
• Put the fruit into the "extras" tray on your bread maker, or leave to one side to add towards the end of the kneading cycle.
• Set the bread maker to Dough setting - or Raisin Dough setting if you have it.
• Press start and if you do not have an "extras" tray, add your dried fruit when your machine alerts you or 5 minutes before the end of the kneading time.
• Lightly grease two baking trays/sheets.
• When the dough cycle has finished, take the dough out and place it on a lightly floured board. Knock back and shape into 12 pieces, rolling them into balls.
• Place them on the greased baking trays/sheets and cover with a clean tea towel or lightly oiled cling film.
• Allow them to rise for about 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile pre-heat the oven the 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Make the pastry crosses by rolling out the ready-made pastry very thinly and cutting into strips.
• Make the glaze by heating up the milk and adding the sugar - heat them until the sugar has dissolved. Set to one side.
• When the Hot Cross Buns are ready to bake, place two strips of pastry on each top - pressing lightly and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until well-risen and golden brown. The buns should sound hollow when tapped underneath.
• Brush the glaze on each bun as soon as they have been taken out of the oven and then allow to cool slightly on a wire rack.
• Eat whilst still warm, split & spread with butter!
• These are GREAT toasted when they are a few days old as well!

CANDIED-FRUIT HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in the butter, eggs, sugar and salt. Combine 3 cups flour, candied fruit and cinnamon; add to yeast mixture and mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; shape into 2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each bun. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Beat egg yolk and water; brush over buns. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. Combine icing ingredients; pipe an "X" on top of each bun.