12 hot cross bun recipes for an original Easter table

Easter weekend is fast approaching. And while everyone is waiting for the traditional egg hunt, in the United Kingdom and in the majority of Anglo-Saxon countries, nothing says Easter more than a tray of hot cross buns freshly out of the oven. Generally decorated with raisins, hot cross buns are small brioches flavored with spices such as cinnamon, enhanced with orange zest. They are also recognizable by their small cross dug directly into the dough or designed using a mixture of flour and water. Once out of the oven, the hot cross buns are served hot and covered with a sugar glaze or jam of your choice. Perfect for an Easter brunch, they can be eaten alone, or in the English style, that is to say, spread with a little butter.

The recipe for homemade hot cross buns

Makes about 12 hot cross buns

Ingredients

37.5 cl of milk
1 tbsp. tablespoon of baking powder
110g caster sugar
640g wheat flour
200g raisins, which can also be replaced with chocolate chips
2 tbsp. tablespoon of cinnamon
2 tbsp. tablespoons of allspice mixture (ginger, nutmeg, pepper and cloves)

The zest of an orange

1 beaten egg
50g melted unsalted butter
3/4 tsp. tablespoon of salt
1 tbsp. tablespoon of vegetable oil

In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until lukewarm.
Pour it into a bowl with the baking powder and 2 tbsp. teaspoon of sugar (the rest will be used in a later step). Mix everything preferably with a whisk, and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

During this process, the yeast will start its fermentation by feeding on the sugar. The gases thus produced in the milk will make it possible to obtain a puffy and soft dough. After waiting 10 minutes, a slightly foamy substance should form.

Then add the flour, the rest of the sugar, the 200g of raisins, the cinnamon, the allspice mixture, the orange zest, the beaten egg, the melted butter and finally the salt.
Mix everything by hand until you obtain a thick paste. Then work it (still by hand) on a floured work surface for around 10 minutes.
Once the dough is smooth and non-sticky, form a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover with a cloth before leaving to rest for about 1 hour or until the ball has doubled in volume.

Still on a floured work surface, work the dough one last time to expel the air. Roll it into sausages, cut 12 pieces of equal size. In order to obtain a shape of brioches linked together, characteristic of hot cross buns, it is important to prepare them in even numbers only.

Shape each piece into a small ball, line them up on a baking tray covered with baking paper to form a perfect rectangle. Let the dough rise for about 40 minutes under lightly oiled plastic wrap.

After 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 180°C, so that it has time to heat up well.
Just before putting our little balls in the oven, draw on the dough the famous crosses which meet on all the hot cross buns, like a grid.

To finish, bake for around 20 minutes. Once out of the oven, cover the hot cross buns with icing for an immaculate look that makes all the difference.

The right technique for perfect hot cross buns

How to make hot cross buns?

Delicately drawn above the brioche, the cross is the essential element of any hot cross bun worthy of the name. It can be dug directly into the dough, or made from all kinds of creams. Traditionally, the latter is made using a glaze composed of flour and water. To do this, mix 70g of flour and 95ml of cold water. Pour everything onto the dough, forming a cross, using a piping bag or a perforated plastic bag. Nothing's easier !

What frosting should I put on my hot cross buns?

For a shiny look, don't forget to cover your hot cross buns with sugar icing. Simply mix 110g of sugar and 15cl of boiling water. Once the icing is smooth, use a brush to gently cover the surface of the brioches. You can also use apricot, peach or strawberry jam for fruity notes.

How do I store my hot cross buns?

Hot cross buns are very easy to store. If you fear being caught off guard when preparing the Easter meal, simply prepare them in advance and put them in the freezer (maximum 3 months). On the big day, defrost them in the microwave then cover with icing.

Customize your homemade hot cross buns

Once the recipe has been mastered, nothing prevents you from creating a pastry in your image, by decorating the dough, the cross or the icing with your favorite flavors: cocoa, vanilla, candied fruits, pistachios, spices… This is the opportunity dream of inventing a recipe that your loved ones will ask for every Easter. And to never run out of inspiration again, here are 12 hot cross bun recipes that will have you hooked before you even taste them.