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Hot Cross Buns

I LOVE hot cross buns. I made them last year, and it seemed the right time to try out the recipe again. The recipe I use is from Simple Home Cook and you can find it here.  There is a Thermomix and non-Thermomix version. So delicious, and not hard at all, but there are a few steps and probably the biggest take away is you need to use bakers flour, not regular plain flour. You can get this from the supermarket in the baking section, you just need to look for it specifically. I’ve added a few images below with some extra notes of my own, and click through to the recipe here: Hot Cross Bun Recipe. 

INGREDIENTS

Dough
  • 4 tsp dry/instant yeast
  • 620 g bakers flour – not ordinary plain flour
  • 50 g sugar
  • 380 g milk
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 60 g Butter
  • 1 egg
  • 250 g sultanas
Paste for Crosses
  • 90 g bakers or plain flour
  • 100 g water
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Glaze 
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp sugar

THERMOMIX

1.  Add milk and yeast into TMX bowl and heat for 3 mins, 37 degrees, speed 1. 
 
2.  Add in all other dough ingredients (excl sultanas) and mix for 15 seconds, speed 7. 
 
3. Knead for 2 mins.
 
4. Add sultanas and knead for a further minute. 
 
5. Place in a large bowl, cover and allow to sit somewhere warm for 1 hr or until doubled in size. 
 
6. Once risen, punch dough down then turn out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands for a few minutes to bring it all together. 
 
7. Divide dough into approx 18 small balls and place close together on a lined oven tray.
 
8. Set aside for approx 20 mins and allow buns to rise.
 
9. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  You can now pipe the crosses onto the buns or skip this step altogether.  To make the crosses, mix together flour, water, salt and oil.  Mix for 30 seconds, speed 4. Scoop into a zip lock bag and snip off the end.  Pipe the crosses onto the buns. 
 
10.  Place in preheated oven for 20 mins or until golden and cooked through. If you feel they are browning a little too quickly, cover the top with baking paper. 
 
11.  Remove from the oven and make the glaze.  Add water and sugar into TMX and cook 2 mins, 100 degrees, speed 4.   Brush buns with hot syrup. 
 

NON-THERMOMIX

I will be honest when I say that I haven’t tried this method yet.  I have just converted the TMX version for all of you who don’t have one.  The process is the same but you need to use your microwave and electric mixer instead. 
 
1. Warm the milk in the microwave for 2 mins.  Pour into a large mixing bowl.  Add yeast.  Whisk until combined. 
 
2.  Add in all other dough ingredients (excl sultanas) and mix together using the dough hooks of your electric mixer. Knead until it is a smooth dough consistency.
 
3.  Add sultanas and continue to knead until sultanas are incorporated into the dough. 
 
4.  Cover and set aside somewhere warm for 1 hr or until doubled in size. 
 
5. Once risen, punch dough down then turn out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands for a few minutes to bring it all together. 
 
6. Divide dough into approx 18 small balls and place close together on a lined oven tray.
 
7. Set aside for approx 20 mins and allow buns to rise.
 
9. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  You can now pipe the crosses onto the buns or skip this step altogether.  To make the crosses, mix together flour, water, salt and oil in a bowl.  Whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Scoop into a zip lock bag and snip off the end.  Pipe the crosses onto the buns. 
 
10.  Place in preheated oven for 20 mins or until golden and cooked through. If you feel they are browning a little too quickly, cover the top with baking paper. 
 
11.  Remove from the oven and make the glaze.  Add water and sugar into a small bowl and stir to combine. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir until the sugar has dissolved. You may need to microwave again.  Brush buns with hot syrup. 

Step 1

Make the dough. I did it in the Thermomix, however I have also done this recipe the non-Thermomix way with success.

hot cross bun recipe

Step 2

Add sultanas.

hot cross bun recipe

Step 3

Allow the rise. Don’t you love this Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice) quote tea towel? I bought it from Brookish.

hot cross bun recipe

Step 4

Remove from bowl and kneed on a floured surface.

hot cross bun recipe

Step 5

When it comes to cutting, I find it best to cut the dough in 4, then each of the quarters in half. Then each half into 3. This makes 24 small but lovely sized buns.  Or you can do as the recipe suggests and cut into 18.

hot cross bun recipe

hot cross bun recipe

Step 6

When rolling into a ball, instead of rolling like you would play dough, I pinch and pinch it together to form a lovely smooth dome at the top.

hot cross bun recipe

hot cross bun recipe

Step 7

Allow to rise again before baking.

hot cross bun recipe

Step 8

Put the crosses on. You can skip this part but it is easy to do. As you can see, mine are very rustic. ha.

hot cross bun recipe

Step 9

Bake.

hot cross bun recipe

These freeze well too. I have them ready for the lunch box, or of course, myself. 

hot cross bun recipe

On February 7, 2017 • By
2
About

Kelly loves life at both ends of the spectrum: wearing high heel shoes one day and hiking boots the next; sipping tea out of a pretty cup and slurping hot coffee from a camping mug; challenging herself physically and stopping for quiet unhurried moments to feel the wind on her face. Kelly and her husband Matthew seek to live a fun and adventurous life with their four children and pet bird.

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2 Comments

  • Reply
    Helen
    February 24, 2017 at 12:57 pm

    I can’t seem to access the recipe on Simple Home Cook. Anych chance you could post it here??

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