I have strong opinions about hot cross buns, and the main one is this: skip the ferment starter and you get bread rolls with raisins. The starter, a simple mix of egg, warm water, yeast, sugar, and flour, needs 30 minutes to get frothy and active before it goes anywhere near the dough. That half hour is where all the flavor develops. It is essential for me.
The other thing most recipes get wrong is the spice. A single teaspoon of cinnamon does not cut it. These buns use allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together, and you can actually smell them baking from the next room. Cold butter grated in on a box grater, two separate rises, and candied citrus peel folded through at the end. Total time is about three hours. Plan for it. The results are worth planning for.
How to Make Hot Cross Buns
Grate the Butter Frozen
Take the butter straight from the fridge and use the large holes on a box grater. 
Grated butter distributes evenly through the flour without melting from the warmth of your hands.
This creates small pockets of fat that make the buns tender rather than dense.
Get the Piping Paste Right
Mix 3/4 cup (177 mL) pastry flour with 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil, then add water slowly.
The consistency should be like thick glue, not pourable but not so stiff you cannot pipe it.
Pipe the crosses right before baking so they hold their shape in the oven.
Glaze Immediately Out of the Oven
Brush the sugar-water glaze or maple syrup on while the buns are still hot from the oven.
The heat lets the glaze soak into the surface and set with a sticky shine.
Wait even five minutes and the glaze just sits on top without soaking in.
One a Penny, Two a Penny Hot Cross Buns
- Total Time: 3 hours 12 minutes
- Yield: Makes 1 dozen 1x
Description
Hot Cross Buns graced the table Easter morning piping hot, fresh from the oven and filling the air with their comforting spicy aroma. The perfect bun is sticky and sweet on the outside and soft and moist on the inside packed full of real fruit goodness and a hint of mixed spice.
Ingredients
- For the ferment starter
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
- 1 cup (250 mL) warm water
- 1 Packet Active Dry Yeast equals 1/4 ounce or 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) sugar
- 4 tablespoons (60 mL) white flour
- For the dough
- 3 - 3 1/2 cups (675 - 793 mL) white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon (2 mL) ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon (2 mL) ground ginger
- 3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, left in fridge(plus extra for greasing)
- 3/4 (177 mL) sugar
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 3/4 cup (96 g) dried currants or sultanas
- 1/2 cup (113.4 g) mixed candied orange and lemon peel, finely chopped (or use chopped dried mango, papaya or pineapple)
- Piping Paste
- 3/4 cup (177 mL) pastry flour
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) water
- Glaze
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
- or 1/2 cup (120 mL) maple syrup
Instructions
- For the ferment starter, mix the beaten egg with enough warm water to make up approximately 290ml/½ pint of liquid. Whisk in the yeast, sugar and flour until the mixture is smooth and well combined, then cover and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a large mixing bowl. Remove the butter from the fridg and on a box grater grate the butter directly into the bowl. Rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and lemon zest to the well and pour in the ferment starter. Using your hands, gradually draw the flour at the edges of the bowl into the well in the centre, mixing well with the ferment starter, until the mixture comes together as a dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth and elastic. Work the mixed dried fruit into the dough until well combined.
- Grease a large, warmed mixing bowl with butter.(To warm the bowl rinse with hot water and then dry well). Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to proof.
- Turn out the proofed dough onto a lightly floured work surface and punch down the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Place rolls in greased 9×12-inch cake pan. Cover and allow to rest in a draft-free place for 15 minutes.
- Cut a cross in each bun, almost cutting all the way through the dough, so that each bun is almost cut into quarters. Wrap the tray loosely in greaseproof paper, then cover completely with plastic cling film (or place in a large plastic bag. Tie the end of the bag tightly so that no air can get in.) Set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 240*C/475*F.
- While the buns proof, make the glaze. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Now make the piping paste. Sift the pastry flour and combine it with the vegetable oil. Slowly add water, stirring well after each addition, until the mixture reaches the consistency of very thick glue. Don’t make it so thin that it runs, but if it is too thick it will be difficult to pipe. Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross over the cuts in each bun.
- Place the buns in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until risen and pale golden-brown. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the glaze, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Enjoy! We like to split and toast them and then spread them with some softened butter.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 12 mins
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
You can, but reduce the amount to 2 teaspoons and skip the 30-minute ferment rest. The buns will rise fine, though the flavor will be less developed. Active dry yeast with the starter step gives a more complex, slightly tangy result.
What can I use instead of candied citrus peel?
Chopped dried mango, papaya, or pineapple all work well. Dried cranberries are another option. The point is to have chewy, sweet pieces of fruit throughout the dough, so pick whatever you like eating on its own.
How do I store leftover hot cross buns?
Keep them in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, split them in half and toast before serving with softened butter. They also freeze well for up to a month; wrap each bun individually in plastic wrap before freezing.
Beautiful text. This is a great recipe!