This traditional Easter dessert is typically served on Good Friday. The cross shape on the top of hot cross buns reminds us of Jesus’ cross.
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot; remove from heat. Add honey, oil, and butter; stir until butter has melted.
- Whisk juice and yeast in a large bowl until dissolved. Add egg, then currants and sultanas. Add combined flour, cinnamon, and salt, then milk mixture; using your hands, mix together until combined. Cover with plastic wrap; stand in a warm place for one hour or until the dough doubles in size.
- Briefly knead the dough on either a lightly oiled surface or floured surface for 10 seconds; return to bowl. Cover; stand in a warm place for one hour or until risen by half.
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces; shape into balls. Place the balls in a greased square cake pan (for a softer crust), or onto a greased baking try, in four rows of four. Cover; stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen by half.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Gradually stir in the cold water until a smooth thick paste. Place flour paste into a small piping bag fitted with a small plain tube. Pipe crosses onto buns.
- Bake buns for 25 minutes or until the buns are browned and sound hollow when tapped.
- Combine ingredients in a small saucepan; stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar and gelatin dissolve.
- Transfer buns to a wire rack and brush tops with glaze. Cooked buns suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.
- Test kitchen tips: This recipe uses a small amount of yeast and relies on slow proofing, resulting in a more tender bun.
- Bread flour is higher in gluten than plain flour, so it produces a better texture in the bun. Plain flour can be substituted.
- The perfect warm places to proof yeast dough are a windowsill in sunlight or on an open oven door, with the oven set at a low temperature.
- For fresh hot cross buns on Good Friday morning, make and shape the dough according to the recipe; cover loosely for their last proofing in the refrigerator overnight. Stand at room temperature for 45 minutes, pipe the crosses, then bake.
You may need it
Food Storage Container Set
Surface Utensil Holder
Kitchen Utensil Set