Hot cross buns
1 hour 30 mins cooking time
Elevate your Easter table or afternoon break time with these easy hot cross buns. Good food deserves Lurpak®, and with this simple recipe, you get soft, fluffy, buttery buns with a shiny cross on top and a golden syrup glaze to finish.
Hot cross buns
Elevate your Easter table or afternoon break time with these easy hot cross buns. Good food deserves Lurpak®, and with this simple recipe, you get soft, fluffy, buttery buns with a shiny cross on top and a golden syrup glaze to finish.
Elevate your Easter table or afternoon break time with these easy hot cross buns. Good food deserves Lurpak®, and with this simple recipe, you get soft, fluffy, buttery buns with a shiny cross on top and a golden syrup glaze to finish.
Method
Buns
1
In a small saucepan, heat milk, butter, orange zest, cloves, ground cardamom, and cinnamon stick over medium heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for at least 30 minutes.
2
In a large bowl, combine flour, spices, mixed peel, sultanas, sugar, salt, and dry yeast.
3
Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the milk mixture.
4
Gently reheat the infused milk over low heat until it reaches 35-38C. Pour half the warm milk and the beaten egg into the dry ingredients and mix with your hands.
5
Gradually add the remaining milk until you achieve a soft, mouldable dough. If the dough feels dry, add a small amount of milk or water. The dough should be slightly sticky rather than dry.
TIP
If the dough sticks to your hands when you knead it, lightly oil your hands rather than adding more flour. This helps maintain the right dough texture without drying it out.
6
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes silky and elastic.
TIP
For a richer flavour, use butter when greasing the bowl for the first rise. This helps prevent sticking while adding an extra layer of buttery goodness to the dough as it rises.
7
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour and a half or until the dough has doubled in size.
8
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces, roll each into a ball, and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, close together but not touching.
9
Gently flatten each ball with the palm of your hand, then cover it with cling film or a damp tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes or until the buns have risen and are touching.
10
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7.
Cross
1
Mix water, flour, and sugar into a paste, then spoon it into a piping bag.
2
Pipe crosses onto the buns, then bake them for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Glaze
1
Melt the golden syrup in a small saucepan and brush it over the warm buns. Serve immediately.
TIP
Always serve your hot cross buns with a generous spread of butter. The butter melts into the dough, enhancing the spices and giving each bite a rich, satisfying flavour.
