Traditional Hot Cross Buns

Eating Hot cross buns for Easter has been a tradition since I was young but I did not know those were not made the traditional way. My research when developing this recipeled me to discover that the traditional way of making these buns is where the cross is baked into the bun. I was astonished. All my life I only had it one way: The icing crossed piped on the top of the bun.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the icing cross piping on top. I mean, it is sweet frosting who doesn’t love that! But I really was taken by surprise to make this discovery. So I had to make them and see if the traditional way tasted just as good. To my surprise they were delightful!

For this recipe I made my own citrus spiced glaze for the top. It’s sticky, delicious and pairs well for the bun. Hope you guys love this as much as I did.

Happy Easter!!!

Traditional Hot Cross Buns

Renee puts her twist on a traditional hot cross bun recipe, adding some local spices and finishing it off with a citrus glaze.

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Prep Time: 2 hours hours

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Caribbean, Tobago, Trinidad

Keyword: baking, bread

Author: Renee

Ingredients

Hot Cross Buns Dough

• 1 pack instant yeast
• ¼ Cup caster sugar
• 1 Cup warm milk
• 4 Cups Cuisine All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Cardamom
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• ¼ Cup Butter softened
• 1 egg
• ½ Cup Cuisine Raisins
• ¼ Cup Cuisine Mixed Peel
• ½ Orange zest
• ½ Lime zest
• 1 tbsp Vanilla essence
• 1 tsp Salt

Flour Paste For Cross

• ½ Cup plain flour
• ¼ Cup water
• 3 tsps sugar

Citrus Spiced Glaze

• ½ Orange zest and juice
• ½ Lime zest and juice
• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Cups White sugar
• 2 tsp Orange Angostura Bitters
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 3 Bay leaves

Instructions

• Start the dough by making the yeast mixture. Heat the milk in the microwave until warm to the touch. In a bowl add the milk, sugar and yeast. Mix well and set it sit for 5 minutes. Note: (When the mixture begins to look frothy it is ready.)
• In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, spices and zest together. Then rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it has disappeared and turned into fine breadcrumbs.
• Cut raisins into smaller pieces.
• Next add the egg, mixed fruit, vanilla essence and yeast mixture. Mix all the ingredients and knead the dough it comes together. Note : ( At least 5-8 minutes)
• Cover with a damp cloth for 1 hour. Note: (A warm place is more suitable for the dough.)
• When your dough has risen and doubled in size, lightly flour a work surface to knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
• Then cut the dough into 16 pieces and roll each piece into a ball shape and place them on your lined baking tray.
• Leave them to raise for another 10 – 15 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Next to make the flour paste for the cross mix all ingredients together until a smooth paste is formed. Note : (The paste should be thick, if it is runny just add a little more flour until you get the right consistency)
• Using a piping bag or zip lock bag make a tiny hole in the corner. Pipe a straight line across the buns in one direction and then going across the other way so you make a cross on each bun.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• To make the glaze in a pan add all the ingredients and place on a medium to high heat. Allow the mixture to thicken. Note : ( At least half of the liquid has to be dissolved.)
• When the buns are ready take them out of the oven and apply the glaze.
• Enjoy while still warm.

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