It said "Those who share a hot cross bun are supposed to enjoy a strong friendship and bond for the next year" A line from an old rhyme.
I remember when I first made hot cross buns, I was amazed at how good they tasted. I couldn't believe I had been eating those sultanaless hot cross buns from the supermarket. Which now I can't even call them hot cross buns but I think balls of dough is slightly closer to its description.
These are great for morning tea, afternoon tea and even breakfast! They are like rasin toast but in a ball and more festive! These are quite easy to make, once you learn the properties of yeast, you will be on your way to success.
These buns are best served warm so that when you spread your butter on the bun it melts into the soft bun!! warming the bun also helps the chocolate melt.
I remember these buns from when I was a child and always a few weeks before Easter we would take a hot cross bun for morning tea in our lunchbox to school. My brothers always demolished half a dozen of hot cross buns for lunch. So Mum would have to buy a few packets!
I love to add spice to my hot cross buns, it makes them a bit different from a normal hot cross bun. Cinnamon quills are very aromic and great to add to your baking to get a very intense flavour and smell of cinnamon.
I usually had ginger, mixed spices, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. It gives these buns a bit of aromic beauty to themselves.
I love this basket filled with hot cross buns, it would make such a nice centre piece on the dinning room table.
I just love the smell of freshly baked hot cross buns, slathering cold butter on the bun and watching it seep into the soft bun. Sometimes I sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and that is just like heaven.
I love this photo, because you get the beautiful lighting off the glazed buns. And that the first bun is the only one in focus.
Plenty of sultanas in these buns are essential! Don't make those balls of dough they sell at the supermarket! Lets get on with the recipe....
Activate the yeast by putting it in water with a pinch of sugar.
Sift the flour into a large bowl.
Pour the luke warm milk into the bowl. And then add the melted butter.
Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl, once its activated. Add your spices one by one.
Crack the eggs into the mixtue and mix well between each addition. Mix till a smooth batter.
Add more flour, and mix into the batter until you form a tacky dough.
Tip the dough out onto a bench and add flour. Begin kneading the dough until a smooth texture has formed.
Once the dough has risen for about 2-3 hours (tripled in size) softly punch down the dough and add the chocolate chunks and sultanas.
Press the ingredients into the dough.
Don't you just love those big chocolate chunks!! mmmm
Punch down the dough with the ingredients and mix till the ingredients are well distrubuted.
Place the dough on a floured bench and begin dividing the dough.
Split the dough in half, and then those two halves in half and so forth, until you have about 16 pieces.
Half, and half, and half again.
When you have divided all the dough up, weigh each clump and make sure it weighs 90g. You can take bits of dough from one and add it to another to make up the weight.
Begin shaping the dough into balls and placing 10cm away from eachother on the kitchen bench. Lighly flour or oil the bottom of where the bun is going to sit.
Place on the bench and allow the buns to rise at room temperature for aboit 40mins-60mins
Add and egg glaze to the buns before and after their rising. This prevents a skin from forming on your dough and keeps them moist!
Here are all my buns lined up beginning their second rising stage.
The buns begin their rising.
The buns after their rising and ready for the oven.
Pipe your crosses on the buns and place in the oven.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and bake the buns for 16 mins, then place tinfoil on top of the buns and bake for another 16 mins at 180 degrees.
Now you can enjoy a tasty treat all year long! You don't just have to eat these in Easter time when they are on sale in the supermarket.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Makes: about 16
Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup lukewarm milk
113g melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3 1/4 - 5 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sultanas
1 cup chopped chocolate (60% cocoa solids at least)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon mixed spices
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg.
Egg Glaze
1 egg
1 Tablespoon Milk
Crosses
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup water
Method
-Pour lukewarm water into a measuring jug and sprinkle yeast on top. Add a pinch of sugar and mix till no yeast remains on the surface. Place on the bench and allow it to sit till frothy and smells like beer. (10mins approx)
-In a large bowl combine flour, milk, butter, sugar, salt, eggs and 1 cup flour. Mix throughly between each egg so it distrubutes evenly.
-Add the yeast mixture, vanilla, spices and another cup of flour. Mix till everything is well combined.
-Mix in enough flour till a shaggy dough appears and clears the sides of the bowl.
-Begin kneading the dough with both hands. You will know when you have kneaded the dough enough when it is really smooth and not sticky anymore. (about 10 mins) It will be sticky at the start but try to stop yourself from adding too much flour.
-Place the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl and place in a draft free place and allow it to rise till tripled in size. (about 2-3 hours)
-Punch down the dough and add your sultanas and chocolate until they are distrubuted evenly.
-Place the dough on the bench and cut it it half, then cut those hlaves in half and so forth, till you have about 16 pieces.
-Weigh out each piece of dough and make sure they equall about 90g.
-Oil the spot you are going to place the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and place on the oiled spot.
-Repeat till all the dough has been shaped.
-Mix your egg glaze together and brush the egg glaze on the buns with a pastry brush.
-Allow the buns to sit on the bench to rise for the second time for about 40-60mins. Or until poofy.
-Add another egg glaze and mix up your flour and water for your paste. Place into a piping bag and begin piping crosses over the buns.
-Place the buns into a preheated oven (200 degrees) and bake for 16 mins. Turn the oven down to 180 degrees and bake for 16 mins and cover the buns with tin foil, if you dont like them a deep amber colour.
-Take the buns out and allow them to cool down completely on a wire rack. If you can't resist,tear them open and enjoy!
These are so yummy, and the best thing is they are great to freeze. Any morning you are feeling like something a bit sweet. Pull these out of the freezer and warm them up either in the micowave or oven. Taste just as good!
I hope you all had a wonderful easter and spend some quality time with family and friends sharing delicious treats!
Until next time lovellie...
