Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns. Hot cross buns. One-a-penny, two-a-penny. Hot cross buns.

Traditionally enjoyed on Good Friday, I thought it would only be fitting to share a recipe for these buns the day before, just in case you need to pick up a few ingredients before the stores close.

Moist, chewy, lightly spiced, and barely sweetened, you don't need to be Catholic to enjoy fresh baked buns.

There are many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. It is said that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil during the coming year. Sharing a bun with another is suppose to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if you say, "Half for you and half for me, between us two shall goodwill be." If a bun is hung in a kitchen, it is said to protect against fires. (Interesting little tidbit that resonates me with another hobby of mine, succulents - it is said that sempervivums planted on a roof will ensure your house will not catch fire.)

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Variations

Feel free to substitute the ground spices in this recipe to suit your taste. I like my hot cross buns well-spiced as I use my own candied Seville orange peel. Seville oranges are very bitter and can stand up to assertive spicy flavours. On the same note, feel free to substitute whatever dried fruit you prefer. Dried currants and raisins are traditional, but chopped apple, dried cherries or toasted nuts would be just as delicious.

To make your buns shiny, use either of two methods: 1 - brush the buns with a beaten egg before baking (and before piping on flour/water paste, if using) or 2 - brush the buns with warmed peach or apricot jam onto the baked buns (before piping on icing, if using).

To make the iconic cross on the buns, use either of two methods: 1 - pipe a paste of flour and water onto the buns before they are placed in the oven (which I use in this recipe) or 2 - pipe a simple icing of powdered sugar and water onto baked and cooled buns.

In this recipe I pipe a flour paste onto the buns in a cross shape before baking then glaze with warmed Elgin Harvest jam after baking.

Hot cross buns pre-baked.

Hot Cross Buns - Recipe

Makes 12 buns (3- ounce size)

1 c warm milk
1 package (7 grams) active dry yeast
1/2 t sugar
3 1/2 - 4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt
6 T unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, orange peel, candied lemon, cherries, etc.)

2 T peach or apricot jam (optional) - for glaze
1/2 c flour mixed with 1 T vegetable oil and 1/4 c water - for cross

• Combine milk, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Set aside until frothy, about 5 minutes.

• Sift flour, brown sugar, spices, and salt into a mixing bowl. Using the dough hook or a wooden spoon (if mixing by hand), pour in frothy flour/yeast mixture into dry ingredients and stir to combine.

• Pour in beaten egg and melted butter and mix until combined. Stir in dried fruit or nuts and mix dough until satiny smooth. At first it will seem like a very sticky dough. As you keep mixing/kneading, the dough will firm up a bit. If it doesn't, add 1/4 c more flour if necessary. If mixing by hand, turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes.

• Shape dough into a ball and place into a greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap or a cloth. Set in a slightly warm place away from any drafts until doubled in size, about 1 1/2-2 hours.

• Once dough has doubled, punch it down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 even pieces (about 3 ounces if you have a scale). Shape dough into balls and place onto parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 2-inches of space in between each bun. Cover with plastic wrap or a cloth and set aside to rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.

• Combine flour, water, and oil into a small container and stir until well combined to make the cross paste Allow to rest while buns are rising.

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Once buns have doubled in size, use the flour paste to pipe crosses onto each bun.

• In the middle to upper portion of oven, bake buns for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown, rotating halfway.

• Once fully baked, remove buns from the oven and brush with warmed jam to glaze.

• Serve buns warm.