Hot cross buns
- Paul Hollywood
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Makes 15
More effort
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Plus proving
A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.306 ratingsRate
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Achieve the perfect hot cross buns with master baker, Paul Hollywood's ultimate guide to baking and decorating these delicately spiced, fruity Easter treats.
Freezable
Nut-free
Vegetarian
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Ingredients
Nutrition
Units:
MetricUS
For the buns
-
300ml full-fat milk
plus 2 tbsp more
-
50g butter
-
500g strong bread flour
-
1tsp salt
-
75g caster sugar
-
1tbsp sunflower oil
-
7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast
-
1 egg
beaten
-
75g sultanas
-
50g mixed peel
-
zest 1 orange
-
1 apple
peeled, cored and finely chopped
-
1tsp ground cinnamon
-
1 tsp mixed spice
For the cross
-
75g plain flour
plus extra for dusting
For the glaze
- 3tbsp apricot jam
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Nutrition: per serving
- kcal247
- fat5g
- saturates3g
- carbs43g
- sugars14g
- fibre2g
- protein6g
- salt0.5g
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Method
-
step 1
Bring 300ml full-fat milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add 50g butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Put 500g strong bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 75g caster sugar and 7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add 1 beaten egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.
-
step 2
Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.
-
step 3
With the dough still in the bowl, tip in 75g sultanas, 50g mixed peel, zest of 1 orange, 1 finely chopped apple, ground cinnamon and mixed spice. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.
-
step 4
Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.
-
step 5
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix 75g plain flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 18-20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown. If you're using two trays the lower tray may need a minute or more than the top level tray.
-
step 6
Gently heat 3 tbsp apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.
Please note that this recipe was updated on 18 April 2023 to reduce the oven temperature.
RECIPE TIPS
YEAST
I use fast-action or easy-blend yeast, which can be added straight to the dry ingredients. This is different from dried yeast which needs to be dissolved in liquid first.
PIPING THE CROSS
Pipe the crosses over the buns slowly so that the paste ‘hugs’ the curves on each bun.
FLOUR
Brands of flour can differ, so you might need to vary the amount of liquid. If your mix is dry and crumbly, add a splash more milk to bring it together.
EQUAL SIZE
I always weigh each lump of dough before shaping to make sure they are all the same size and cook evenly.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2012
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A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.306 ratings
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