Recipes

Originally made from the leftover dough of the sacramental loaves, hot cross buns are always marked with a cross in honour of our Lord.

    15g dried yeast
    55g soft light brown sugar
    200ml milk warmed to 28C/80F
    450g strong white flour
    Pinch salt
    2 tsp mixed spice
    55g butter
    2 eggs, beaten
    115g currants
    Shortcrust pastry trimmings (optional)
    1 egg, beaten with water, for glaze

Method

Sprinkle the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar onto 150ml of the milk and whisk together. Leave in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes until frothy.

Meanwhile sift the flour into a large bowl with the salt, mixed spice and the remaining sugar. Rub in the butter. Then add the yeast, the remaining milk and the eggs and mix together.  Knead into a soft dough then scatter in the currants, kneading as you go to make sure they are evenly distributed. Cover and leave for 1 hour in a warm place until it has almost doubled its bulk.

Have ready two lightly buttered bun trays dredged with flour. Knock back the dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Using a tablespoon fill each bun mould to about two-thirds full, shaping the dough into a round ball. Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to rise.

Brush the buns with glaze. To make the crosses either roll out the pastry, cut into long thin strips and lay them on top of the buns or simply make a deep cross cut with the back of a knife.

Bake in a preheated oven 220C/425F oven for about 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool on a wire rack.