Easter Homemade Hot Cross Buns

An Easter Favourite

RECIPE: Miele

SERVES: 12 Hot Cross Buns

APPLIANCE: Oven

COOKING TIME: 20 Prep 20mins Cook

DIFFICULTY: Easy

 

INGREDIENTS

For Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

  • 470g strong white bread flour

  • 30g cocoa

  • 10g salt

  • 80g sugar

  • 1 tsp mixed spice

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • Zest of 2 oranges

  • 20g butter

  • 30g fresh yeast or 2 sachets of dried yeast

  • 270g milk at room temperature

  • 1 egg

  • 100g milk chocolate chips

  • 100g sultanas (soaked in boiling water or orange juice)

For Fruit-filled Hot Crossed Buns

  • 500g strong white bread flour

  • 10g salt

  • 80g sugar

  • 1 tsp mixed spice

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • Zest of 1 orange

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 50g butter

  • 25g fresh yeast or 2 sachets of dried yeast

  • 250g milk at room temperature

  • 1 egg

  • 100g sultanas

  • 100g raisins (both soaked in boiling water or orange juice)

For the Crosses

  • 500g strong white bread flour

  • 10g salt

  • 80g sugar

For the Glaze

  • Juice of 1 orange

  • 20g caster sugar

 

Method

  1. Add all of the dry ingredients and fruit zest to a large mixing bowl and mix together, rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients.

  2. Soak the fruit and leave to one side

  3. Add the yeast to the warm milk and mix until dissolved. Then, whisk the egg into the milk mixture, add to the dry ingredients and mix everything together until a smooth dough has been formed.

  4. Empty out the dough onto a clean surface and knead for around 10 minutes, until the dough springs back when you press with your finger and leaves no indentation.

  5. Dust the work surface with a small amount of flour and push the dough into a large rectangle. Drain your fruit then spread it out over the dough (along with the chocolate if you are making chocolate buns), fold it over and knead gently to incorporate.

  6. Once mixed, put the dough in a large clean bowl and cover, leaving it in a warm place away from any cold air.

  7. While the dough is proving, mix together the cross ingredients and place in a piping bag fitted with a 5mm piping tube. Set to one side.

  8. When the dough has doubled in size, gently lift it out onto a lightly floured surface.

  9. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape it into balls. Place the balls onto your Miele Baking Sheet, leaving a 2cm gap between each. Cover lightly and leave in a warm place until the buns have doubled in size and have a slight wobble to touch.

  10. To make the cross, pipe the cross mixture in one continuous line horizontally across all of the buns and then vertically down all of the buns.

  11. Preheat your Miele Oven on Fan Plus at 180°C. When the buns are ready to cook, switch the oven to the Moisture Plus setting at 180°C with an automatic burst of moisture. If you don't have the Moisture Plus setting, simply spritz some water into your oven. Place the buns in the oven and set the Minute Minder for 20 minutes.

  12. To check if the buns are cooked, pick one up with a cloth and tap the underside - if it sounds hollow it is cooked.

  13. While the buns are cooking, you can make the glaze for the tops. In a small saucepan boil together with the orange juice and the sugar until it has slightly thickened.

  14. When the buns are out of the oven, brush each one with the glaze. When the glaze has soaked in a little, transfer to a cooling rack.