Easter, aka the best time of the year for sweet tooths, is fast approaching! And while Easter eggs are usually the crowd favourite, you’ll steal the show this year with Geoff Nugent’s (FPE Industrial Cooking Equipment Specialist) latest recipe.
Introducing the best hot cross bun recipe for Easter 2021! You’ve been loving Geoff’s recipes, and we’ve loved sharing them with you. So without further ado, here’s the best hot cross bun recipe you’re ever going to find!
Overview:
Ingredients:
The buns
- 4 cups bread & pizza plain flour, plus extra to dust
- 170g (1 cup) sultanas or chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp mixed peel (omit for fruitless hot cross buns)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp (1 sachet) dried yeast
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- Large pinch of salt
- 250ml (1 cup) warm milk
- 50g butter, melted & cooled
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
Cross paste
- 40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
- 2 tbsp cold water
Glaze
- 70g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
- 80ml (⅓ cup) cold water
| Prep Time | 2hr 30 mins |
| Cooking Time | 25 mins |
| Serves | 12 |
Best hot cross bun recipe: instructions
The buns
- Combine flour, sultanas and mixed peel (or just chocolate chips), sugar, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.
- Add milk, butter and egg to the well. Use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined. Once combined, use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.
- Generously dust some bread flour onto your kitchen bench. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on the bench.
- Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
- Coat the inside of a large bowl in melted butter and place the dough in the bowl. Turn the dough to coat it with butter. Cover and set aside in a warm place* to prove for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan forced) and brush a baking tray with melted butter.
- Punch down the dough and knead on a lightly floured surface for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Place the dough on the prepared tray (the balls should be slightly spaced apart but will touch once they have risen). Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.*
Cross paste & cooking
- For the cross paste, combine flour and water in a bowl. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle.*
- Pipe the crosses onto the buns with the paste.*
- Bake the hot cross buns for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and hollow when tapped.
Glaze
- For the glaze, place sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, while stirring, for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Brush the tops of the warm buns with the glaze – then, enjoy your homemade hot cross buns!
Tips & tricks for the best hot cross bun recipe
The buns*
- A good warm place to set your buns aside is the microwave with the door slightly open. The light gives off just enough heat to warm the buns.
- If you’re not a fan of sultanas and mixed peel, use chocolate chips to create your own chocolate hot cross bun recipe!
Cross paste*
- Instead of a piping bag, use a zip lock or plastic bag and cut the corner off and pipe through the hole.
- What makes this the best hot cross bun recipe? The fact that you can get the kids to add their initials to the buns rather than just a cross! Make it a fun, afternoon activity for the whole family.
Hot cross bun FAQs
How long do hot cross buns last in the freezer?
These hot cross buns will last 6 months in the freezer. To freeze, wrap them individually in baking paper and then store in an airtight container.
Why is my hot cross bun dough not rising?
There could be a few reasons:
- Temperature of the dough: if your dough is not warm enough while it’s resting, the yeast will not start to grow and expand the structure of the dough – keeping it light and fluffy.
- Under kneading: if the dough was under kneaded, it won’t rise properly.
- Expired yeast: yeast is a living thing, and dried yeast needs to be reactivated. If your yeast has expired (or is dead), it won’t produce gas or air bubbles, and so the dough won’t rise.
These reasons will also result in heavy and dense hot cross buns.
Can you toast hot cross buns from frozen?
Yes! You don’t need to defrost frozen hot cross buns, just pop them in the microwave, oven or toaster and away you go.
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We don’t know about you, but this is the best hot cross bun recipe we’ve ever come across – thanks Geoff!
At FPE, we offer so much more than just food processing equipment. When you order with FPE, you receive comprehensive customer support, spare parts supply, equipment training and maintenance. Plus, if you sign up to the FPE newsletter, you’ll be among the first to read Geoff’s recipes.
