Michael and Rachel's

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Hot Cross Buns

Updated: 25 Apr 2015

Ingredients

  • 500g strong white flour
  • 10g salt
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 10g instant yeast
  • 40g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 medium eggs, beaten
  • 120ml warm full fat milk
  • 120ml cool water
  • 75g sultanas
  • 40g mixed peel
  • 1 dessert apple

  • 2 tsp cinnamon

  • 75g plain flour

  • 75ml water

  • Apricot jam

Method

  1. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, eggs, milk, and half the water and mix together. Continue to add water a little at a time until you've picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl (you may not need to add all of it - dough should be soft but not soggy).
  2. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until no longer wet and sticky but smooth and silky.
  3. Put it in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size, at least 1 hour but maybe up to 2 or 3.
  4. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and divide in two. Add half the apple and 1 tsp of cinnamon to each, then add the sultanas and mixed peel to just one of them. Knead until evenly incorporated then cover and leave to rise for a further hour.
  5. Knock out the air then divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place on a baking hseet fairly close together (and lined with parchment). Place the tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to rest for a further hour until the dough is well risen and springy when pressed.
  6. Preheat oven to 220C.
  7. Mix the flour and water to a paste; use a piping bag to pie crosses on the bunds (in long lines).
  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (last time, 17 minutes was a shade too long). The finished buns should be a fairly dark golden brown.
  9. Warm the apricot jam in the microwave with a splash of water, then brush generously onto the warm buns and leave to cool on a wire rack.