Hot Cross Buns, East Anglian Style
Fragrant, spiced yeast buns packed with juicy sultanas and citrus peel, piped with traditional flour crosses and glazed until glossy.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 240 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Baking tray
- •Greaseproof paper
- •Piping bag
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- fat
- 5 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 240 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Stir the bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, mixed spice, and ground cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour in the warm milk, melted butter, and beaten egg, then mix into a rough, soft dough.
- 3
Knead on a lightly floured work surface for 10 minutes until the dough feels smooth and springy.
- 4
Flatten the dough slightly, scatter over the sultanas and mixed peel, and knead until the fruit is evenly distributed.
- 5
Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and leave to rise for 1 hour.
- 6
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, roll each into a smooth round ball, and arrange on a lined baking tray.
- 7
Cover loosely and leave to prove (rise again) for 45 minutes until doubled in size and touching slightly.
- 8
Mix the plain flour with roughly 5 tablespoons of cold water to make a smooth paste, then pipe crosses over the buns.
- 9
Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 20 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
- 10
Gently warm the apricot jam with 1 teaspoon of water, then brush immediately over the hot buns for a glossy shine.
Chef's tips
Make sure your milk is only lukewarm; boiling liquid will kill the yeast. For neater crosses, use a small piping bag with a fine round nozzle or snip the corner off a sandwich bag. If you prefer a sticky finish instead of fruity, brush warm golden syrup over the buns right out of the oven.
Ingredient substitutions
- sultanas → currants or raisins
- apricot jam → golden syrup
- whole milk → unsweetened oat milk
Storage
Store completely cooled buns in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Reheating
Slice in half and toast under the grill for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp around the edges.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding dried fruit before initial kneading, which tears the delicate gluten strands
- •Making the cross paste too runny, causing it to slide off the buns during baking
- •Glazing the buns when cold, which creates a sticky, uneven film instead of a clear shine
Serving suggestions
Cooked Hot Cross Buns, East Anglian Style?
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