After a recipe for Perfect Hot Cross Buns?? This recipe is kid-friendly, great for lunch boxes and absolutely fool-proof!
Mega, mega squeals!! It’s almost Easter time!! If you haven’t eaten a hot cross bun or nibbled on a few Easter eggs yet, then there’s something very, very wrong with you (or you just have a whole heap of self-control, in which case, high five to you!). It’s around this time of year that I think my husband decides that he’s sick of hot cross buns. I adore them and totally love making batch after batch. Dave, on the other hand, is about ready to kick me out of the kitchen if I make anymore. But, for my last little hot cross bun making hurrah, I thought I’d go old-school with a really easy, classic recipe.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m the first to agree that trashing up hot cross buns is so much fun! If you haven’t tried my Chocolate Chip or my Triple Chocolate versions, then you really should. They’re very yum! But these little babies are some that I’ve been working on for a while. And to be honest, they’re just plain and simple. You know… just good old fashioned hot cross buns! No trashiness in sight.
These ones are very kid-friendly and make the perfect lunchbox snack. I haven’t included mixed peel because I know that lots of little people (and big people like myself) aren’t the hugest fans of mixed peel. They do however, have lots of yummy sultanas! And sultanas keep everyone happy!
Now I have a question for you… how do you like to eat your hot cross buns? I must say that it’s become a bit of a cause for debate in our house. I say that you have to slice the hot cross buns in half, pop them under the grill and then slather them with butter and jam. Dave says that you pop them in the oven to warm them up, then slice them in half and add just butter. Just butter!? What!? Who even is this person that I married?? So who’s right? And as I’m sure you can tell, we spend lots of time discussing the big issues in our house!
Perfect Hot Cross Buns - Conventional Method
After a recipe for Perfect Hot Cross Buns?? This recipe is kid-friendly, great for lunch boxes and absolutely fool-proof!
Ingredients
- For the buns:
- 1 tbs dry yeast
- 1 cup (250g) warm milk
- 4 cups (500g) plain flour
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
- 80 g butter slightly softened and chopped
- 1 egg beaten lightly
- 1/3 cup (85g) warm water
- 180 g sultanas
- For the piping:
- 1/2 cup (65g) plain flour
- 100 g water
- For the glaze:
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- 2 tbs water
Instructions
-
Add the dry yeast to the cup of warm milk and whisk together.
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Place the cup in a warm place for 15 minutes or until the mixture has become frothy.
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In a large bowl, sift the plain flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
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Add the caster sugar and mix to combine.
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Add the butter and rub together.
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Pour in the yeast mixture, the egg and the warm water.
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Sprinkle over the sultanas.
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Stir together until the mixture forms a round dough ball.
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Grease a bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bowl.
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Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
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Preheat oven to 220 degrees celsius (200 degrees celsius if using a fan forced oven).
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On a lightly floured board, place the dough and knead for 5 minutes.
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Divide the dough into 12 equal sized portions.
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Roll each portion into a ball.
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Place 6 balls, 1cm apart in a greased 20cm square tin.
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Place the remaining 6 balls in a separate greased 20cm square tin, 1cm apart (using 2 separate tins makes it easier to handle and allows the balls to spread).
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Set aside for a further 15 minutes to prove.
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Make the piping by sifting the flour into a bowl and adding enough water to make a paste.
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Pipe the crosses onto the buns using a piping bag or a glad bag with the end snipped off.
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Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the buns sound hollow when tapped.
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To make the glaze, place the water and sugar into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Mix until the sugar dissolves.
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Brush the tops of the buns with the glaze.
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Place the buns onto a wire rack to cool.
Hot Cross Buns – Thermomix Instructions:
1. Place milk and yeast into the TM bowl and heat for 1 minute, Speed 1, 37 degrees.
2. Add flour, salt, softened butter, sugar, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg and warm water and mix for 6 seconds, Speed 7.
3. Knead for 2-3 minutes on interval speed.
4. Add the sultanas and combine for 10 seconds, Reverse Speed 5.
5. Work the dough into a ball on a lightly floured board.
6. Place in a bowl and cover with a tea towel.
7. Keep in a warm place for 30 minutes to allow the dough to prove (it should double in size).
8. Divide the dough into 12 portions.
9. Roll into balls
10. Grease and line a baking tray (I find it easiest to use 2 X 20cm square baking tins) and place the dough balls 1cm apart in the tray.
11. Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
12. To make the piping, mix the flour, olive oil and water in the TM bowl for 20 seconds on Speed 4.
13. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 20 seconds.
14. Place the mixture into a piping bag (or a sealable ziplock bag with the edge corner snipped off.
15. Pipe crosses onto the buns.
16. Place the tray into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
17. Meanwhile, heat the sugar and water in the TM bowl for 2 minutes, Speed 4, 100 degrees.
18. Brush the syrup over top of the warm buns.
19. Leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
When making in the thermomix should I leave the milk and yeast for 15 min to activate before adding the other ingredients or do I skip that step? I can’t wait to try these!!
Hi Jen, I found that heating it for the minute was enough and it was frothy by then. If it’s not, maybe leave it a bit longer! xx
YUM! Hot cross buns are the best! I love my hot cross buns heated under the griller and then spread with jam!
Absolutely!!! Thats the perfect way to do them!
These are absolutely beautiful and no wonder you’re squealing with joy. I would too once I had one of these. 🙂
Thank you Maureen 🙂
Sorry but I’m with Dave. Although, have you ever poked a hole in one, jammed in a small easter egg and then put it in the oven?!
Holy moly! That sounds amazing 🙂
Oh they do look absolutely perfect. Light and fluffy. I’d love to try it, but working with yeast scares me. I’ll stick to Brumbys for now 🙂 #teamIBOT
Haha yeast is a little scary (and the Brumby’s ones are very yummy too!).
Oh, Lucy! They look exquisitely perfect! I am dying to try your Triple Choc ones too! x
Thanks so much Grace 🙂
Haha, this sounds like a conversation we would have at our house! Is there anything better than a hot cross bun fresh from the oven??
i just saw this recipe and can’t wait to make them!! They sound so easy and who doesn’t love a hot cross bun straight out of the oven with butter
Absolutely – there really is nothing better!
These look delicious Lucy. I love my hot cross buns cut in half, toasted under the grill and slathered with loads of butter. Hubby loves jam on his. Sometimes I might have a half with jam but my fave is with butter.
Perfect? Lucy, you are fast becoming my “go to” baking blog! (And I especially love that I know you use Aussie measurements!) YOU ROCK!
Oh Nagi!! You are too sweet! Thank you xx
Sorry Dave but Lucy is right. I’m all for toasted and maybe even a scoop of ice cream.
These little treasures look delicious Lucy! xx
Noooooo!! You traitor you!!! Hehehe trust you to add a scoop of ice-cream (thats possibly the best idea ever!).
I have made these 3 times already and they are just wonderful! I do the dough in the breadmaker and it works perfectly that way too. Thank you!
Oh that is so wonderful to hear. Gosh I do love using a bread maker… it gives the whole house such a yummy smell of bread cooking!
Can’t wait to try this out. A question- is 37 degrees for the Thermomix celsius or fahrenheit?
Hi Catie,
It’s just the 37 degrees button 🙂 xx
When do I add the 1/3 cup of water?
Hi Eden, in Step 6 (conventional method) or Step 2 (Thermomix Method). xx
Hi Lucy – these look amazing!
I’m stuck out bush at the moment and only have access to cage eggs – have you tried making them without egg? Or could I substitute with a chia-seed / water mix?
Thanks! X
Hi Zoe, hmmm… the chia-seed/water mix only works as a good substitute in some recipes and I haven’t tried it in this. I wonder if it might make the buns far too heavy though? Good luck!!