Hot Cross Buns Recipe • A British Easter Favorite! | Club Foody

 

When I was living in Hull, Quebec (now called Gatineau), my girlfriend took me to Aux Délices Bakery at the ByWard Market square. As soon as we walked in, I started salivating – bread is one of my weaknesses! It was the day before Good Friday and she was picking up a sweet bread that I’ve never heard of before… Luckily, I was invited over to her place the next day and was able to sample it.
 
There’s an important Holiday coming up this weekend… Easter! In Christian countries, many traditions occur with food and that includes sweet bread. In Spain, Mona de Páscua will be eaten on Easter Sunday while the Croatian Pinca will be served for breakfast. The Greek Tsoureki is another delicious one with its dyed red Easter egg pressed into the center of the dough. There’s Mazanec from Czech as well as Cozonac from Bulgaria. Without going any further, here’s a similar one from the United Kingdom for this special occasion… Hot Cross Buns!
 
This British sweet treat is so delicious! Made with yeast, these dense buns are decorated with a white cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus. They are filled with spices and various fruits like sultanas, raisins or currants. My version is slightly different from the ones I’ve had so far. I use sultanas as well as candied peels – I love the combination.
 
The spices I use are ground cinnamon, allspice, ground nutmeg and ground ginger. The mix gives a beautiful flavor to these Hot Cross Buns. Cinnamon elevates many baked goods but keep in mind that too much can prevent the dough from rising properly. If you want to use more cinnamon, I suggest you increase the amount of yeast to compensate.
 
As I mentioned above, I add candied peels. I like to use the base of my Candied Fruits recipe and chop my orange and lemon peels finely before adding them to the dough. If you buy yours at the store, they already come finely chopped so there’s less steps to do.
 
When it comes to the flour, I use all-purpose but bread flour can be substituted. It will rise slightly more but in my opinion, I don’t bother with it as it doesn’t make much of a difference. For the glaze, I sift (not by choice, trust me on that one) the confectioners’ sugar because I find it blends easier with the freshly squeezed orange juice without making lumps. If you want to make a quicker and easier glaze, use corn syrup instead. Pour about ¼ cup in a small microwave-safe bowl, melt it and brush it on the buns…
 
They are best eaten the day they are made but if there are any leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months and when ready to eat, wrap them in foil and pop them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350ºF.
 
Here’s a little trick…
Since I started my menopause, I prefer keeping my house on the cool side. It’s easier to add a sweater and wear some thick socks than breaking out in a sweat. My kitchen is cold for most of the year so when I make breads, it’s not really ideal for rising and proofing. What I do is to turn on the heat to 350ºF for about 2 to 4 minutes while my yeast is proofing (then turn it off of course). When it’s time to let the dough rise, the interior of the oven is nice and comfy.
 
Tradition is what bonds friends and family together so create a new one this Easter by baking these delicious Hot Cross Buns. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make these tasty sweet little guys…
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these other delicious sweet and savory bread recipes…
– Tomato Rosemary Focaccia
– Christmas Stollen
– Popovers
– Panettone
– Homemade Pretzels
– Challah
– Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
and for even more bread recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Bread

For ingredient amounts, directions and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/hot-cross-buns/

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