We all know it wouldn’t be Easter without chocolate, but for me the best Easter food has to be Hot Cross Buns! I love them beyond words and can quite happily eat them at any time of the day or night, so I thought it was about time I came up with my own Hot Cross Buns recipe 🙂

Hot Cross Bun Recipe

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Prep Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Author: Sarah Sibley

Ingredients

• 300 ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
• 2 x Chai Tea Bags
• 1 tsp Mixed Spice
• 50 g Stork
• 500 g Strong White Bread Flour
• 100 g Caster Sugar
• 7 g Sachet Fast-Action Yeast
• 200 g Mixed Dry Fruit with Peel
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 3 tsp of Orange Juice
• 100 g Plain Flour
• 3 tbsp Smooth Apricot Jam without fruit pieces

Instructions

• Put the milk & teabags into a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring regularly to bring the flavour out of the teabags.
• When it starts to boil, remove from the heat and squeeze all of the milk out of the teabags by using a wooden spoon against the side of the pan and remove the bags.
• Add the mixed spice and stork and keep stirring until completely melted and combined.
• Put the pan to one side to cool and in a large mixing bowl mix the flour, sugar, salt & yeast together, and then make a well in the centre.
• In a separate bowl measure out the dried fruit. Add the orange zest and juice, mix together and put to one side.
• Beat the egg in a jug and put to one side.
• By now the milk should be cool enough to add to the dry ingredients.
• Pour it into the well followed by the egg and mix together with a wooden spoon.
• When combined dust a surface with flour and turn the mixture out.
• Knead for around 5mins using the heel of your hand, stretching it out and folding it back on itself and repeating until you have a smooth and elastic dough.
• Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it with oiled clingfilm.
• Leave to prove in a warm place for 60mins or until doubled in size.
• Remove the clingfilm and tip the fruit mix on top of the dough and knead it in until thoroughly and evenly combined.
• Re-oil the bowl and place it back in covered again with oiled clingfilm.
• Leave to prove for another 60mins in a warm place until doubled in size again.
• Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
• Remove the clingfilm and transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
• Divide the dough into 15 even pieces, I find the best way to do this is roll it into a fat sausage and cut it into 3 pieces. Then roll the 3 pieces into sausages and cut each of them into 5 equal pieces (each should weigh around 80g).
• Roll each or the pieces into a ball and place onto the baking sheet making sure to leave enough room between for expansion.
• Lightly cover with a piece of oiled clingfilm and leave to prove for a final 60mins in a warm place.
• Pre-heat the oven to 220C / 200Fan / GM 7.
• For the crosses, mix the plain flour with 5tbsp of water and mix to a thick paste, adding another tbsp or 2 of water if necessary.
• Place the paste into a piping bag and cut the end off to allow it to be piped.
• Carefully pipe a cross onto each of the buns.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 16-20mins or until golden brown.
• Whilst they are in the oven, heat the apricot jam in the microwave for around 30secs and stir until smooth and thin.
• When the buns are done, remove them from the baking sheet and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
• Then whilst both are still hot, brush the top of each of the buns with jam.
• Leave to cool and then serve and enjoy!

Made this recipe? Don't forget to tag me!@itssarahsibley I love to see all your tasty creations!