Hot cross buns

best eaten with lots of butter

I like my hot cross buns light and fluffy, so I choose to use yeast instead of making sourdough ones. These ones are quick, and although the method seems quite long, once you have made them, you’ll see they aren’t hard at all. My six-year-old daughter wanted me to make some so she could have one for afternoon tea, but when she came home, she didn’t believe I had made them and was sure I had bought them from the shop. If you have a standing mixer with a dough attachment, use it because your buns will be lighter.

Makes 12

For the buns,

Butter, 50g

Active dried yeast, 1 tbsp or 9 grams

Flour, 4 1/2 cups

Dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup

Cinnamon, 2 tsp

Mixed spice, 2 tsp

Salt, 1/2 tsp

Oranges, zest from 2

Sultanas, 2 cups

Milk, 1 1/4 cups

Eggs, 1 lightly beaten

For the cross,

Flour, 2 big tbsp

Water, enough to make it thin enough to squeeze

For the glaze,

Orange, juice from 1

Honey, 2 tbsp

In a small pot, melt the butter and set aside.

In another small bowl, put the yeast with a teaspoon of the brown sugar and half a cup of warm water. Whisk together until there are no lumps, then set aside for about 5 minutes or until it becomes frothy.

In a third large bowl, put the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, and salt and whisk together. Add the melted butter, yeast, orange zest, sultanas, milk, and egg, then bring together with a wooden spoon. Alternatively, you could use a standing cake mixer with the dough attachment. If you are using the mixer, mix on medium for about 5 minutes. If you are using a wooden spoon, mix together for about 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky.

Place a piece of glad wrap or a damp tea towel over the bowl and leave it somewhere warm for about 1 and a half hours or until the dough has risen and tripled in size. I often do this by turning the oven on for a few minutes, then turning it OFF and sitting the bowl inside.

Once the dough has tripled in size, dust your bench with a little flour and tip the dough out. Sprinkle a little flour on top too so it’s easier to work with, then fold your dough into thirds, then thirds again. Roll the dough into a log shape, then cut into 12 pieces.

Line a 30cm by 25cm baking dish with baking paper. Take each piece of dough and fold it over itself into thirds again, then flip it over so the seam is on the bottom and you have a smooth top. Roll the dough into a ball. I find this easiest to do by keeping the dough on the bench and using my hands to pull the ball towards me and roll it at the same time. It creates a bit of tension on the surface, and you end up with a smooth ball.

Place the balls into the baking dish in a row of 3 by 4. Cover again with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave somewhere warm for 45 minutes.

While they are rising, make the crosses. Place 2 big tablespoons of flour into a small bowl and enough water to make a paste. It needs to be thin enough that you can squeeze it out but not too thin so it runs off the buns. Using a piping bag or some baking paper rolled up, pipe the crosses on the buns slowly.

Heat the oven to 180C with a fan. Bake the buns for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and baking dish and transfer to a cooling tray.

Mix the orange juice with the honey in a small bowl, then brush over the tops of the buns while they are still warm.

Serve with lots of butter. They will last a few days and are always best toasted.