Hot Cross Buns - Easy No Faffing!

Hot Cross Buns are a Spring Staple recipe, these ones are flavoured with our Sugar and Crumbs Natural Flavoured Icing Sugar.

What are Hot Cross Buns?

Hot Cross Buns are a must at Easter time. They remind us of holidays past and of many wonderful memories made. You can use any of the Sugar and Crumbs Flavoured Icing Sugars, however, Orange Zest or Key Lime are just delicious to use with this recipe, flavours as the inspiration for this modern, trendy dessert that is all fun and no fuss to make.

You can transfer the finished hot cross buns to an airtight container and store them in a cool, dry place. Hot cross buns will last in the pantry for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. If freezing, wrap hot cross buns individually in baking paper, so you can remove and thaw the portions that you require.

If you would like to check our full range of Natural Flavoured Icing Sugars click here.

How to enjoy hot Hot Cross Buns

Whether you go for the classic version with fruit or try with one of our Natural Flavoured Icing Sugars, these buns can be enjoyed in all sorts of sweet and savoury ways. Try whipped cream and berries for a sweet treat or simply butter once toasted.

Ingredients

• 640g Bread Flour
• 9g Yeast ( Instant/Rapid )
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 110g Sugar and Crumbs Natural Flavoured Icing Sugar (Flavour of your Choice)
• 50g Unsalted Butter (Melted)
• 375ml Milk (warm)
• 1 Large Egg ( Room temperature )
• 210g Sultanas
• 35g Bread Flour ( to roll the dough with )
• 75g Any Flour ( For the crosses ) and 5 Tbsp Water
• Icing Sugar and water or Apricot jam warmed up to glaze

Instructions

• Place the flour, yeast, icing sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.

• Next add the butter, milk, egg and sultanas and fold in.

• Using a dough hook mix the ingredients together to form a smooth dough, this should take approx 5 mins.

• Leave the dough in the bowl and then cover it with clingfilm, leave in a warm space to double in size. Approx 1hr to 1hr 30 mins. This is the first rise.

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper, leave an overhang and then set aside.

• Once the dough has doubled in size, take off the clingfilm and punch the dough to deflate the air. Dust the surface with the extra flour and then roll the dough into a long sausage shape, cut it in half then each half into 6 pieces so you have 12 in total.

• Pick one piece up and gently press down gather the edges together and roll in your palm to make a ball. Gathering the ends allows one side to have a perfect top.

• Place the dough ball on the paper smooth side up and repeat with the remaining pieces till all the dough is on the tray in a 4×3 formation. Cover with clingfilm sprayed lightly with oil and then place back in a warm place for 45 mins to prove again and rise.

• Mix the 75g for the crosses with the water until it forms a paste then add to a piping bag, and snip off a small part off the end, once the dough has finished its 2nd rise then pipe the crosses on, going slowly so it clings to the sides of the buns too. Preheat the oven to a 180c fan/350F.

Bake

Bake in the oven for 22 mins until a deep golden colour can be seen on the top.

Place them on a wire cooling rack using the overhang of paper to help you lift them.

Mix the icing sugar with water to create a sticky glaze or you can warm some apricot jam. Use a pastry brush to spread over the top. Let them cool to a warm heat before serving.

Store in an airtight container once fully cooled. Eat within 5 days.

To make white chocolate and Raspberry Flavour use Raspberry Ripple or White Chocolate and Raspberry icing sugar. Replace the 210g of Sultanas with 30g Freeze Dried Raspberries and 100g White Chocolate.

Hot Cross Bunny & Apple & Toffee pieces – Replace Icing Sugar with Hot Cross Bunny and add two chopped cubed Apples that have been softened in a pan with a drop of water and a teaspoon of the icing sugar. Cook for 5 mins then leave to cool. Add the apples and 100g Toffee/fudge pieces.