Hot cross buns are on all shopping lists for this Easter, so if your nearest grocery shop runs out, you can make your own.
In one bowl mix 500g whitebread flour with half a teaspoon of salt, 50g of caster sugar and two heaped tablespoons of mixed spice. In a separate bowl rub 50g of chopped butter into the dry mix with your fingertips. Stir in 200g of dry fruit into the butter. Mix 7g of dried yeast into the mixture of butter and dried fruit. Warm milk in a pot to a point where it’s hot, but cold enough to touch and mix in the butter and dried fruit mix. Beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry mixture. The mixture should form a dough and you should leave it to soak for five minutes. Shape the dough into buns on a floured surface. Space apart on a baking sheet, cover loosely with cling film, then leave in a warm place until the buns are doubled in size.This will take 45 minutes and an hour and 15 mins, depending on how warm the room is. When the buns have risen, heat oven to 220C. Mix the flour with two tablespoons of water to make a paste.
Pour into a plastic food bag and make a nick in one of the corners. Pipe crosses on top of each bun. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until risen and golden.
Trim the excess cross mixture from the buns, then brush all over with honey or golden syrup. The buns will keep fresh for a day. After that, they are best toasted and served with butter.
Enjoy your Easter hot cross buns!
