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HOT CROSS BUNS (RECIPE)
HOT CROSS BUNS (RECIPE)
Have you ever wondered what Hot Cross Buns are? I always wondered what the deal was when I saw them at the market. I just assumed they were cute little dinner rolls.
Well Hot Cross Buns do have a bit of history. I’ll get into that but I’m also going to share the recipe I used to make Hot Cross Buns.
QUICK BACKSTORY OF HOT CROSS BUNS
Ok so from the research I’ve done, hot cross buns’ origins date as far back as the 12th century. It’s said that a monk created them to mark the end of Lent.
These fruit-filled spiced buns were historically marked with a cross made of simple flour and water. Sometimes a cross was cut into the buns.
The symbolism of the cross was to honor Good Friday. It seems the trend gained popularity and it’s now synonymous with Easter weekend.
ARE CROSS BUNS JUST BREAD?
Well yeah, in a nutshell. Although history points to these buns being heavily tied to paganism — reality is, it’s just bread folks!
Believe what you want but I make these buns because they’re tasty morsels. And what’s more, I’m a carb fiend, it’s as simple as that.
If the cross offends, you can omit them altogether or make a fancy design of some other sort.
I read that people used to hang a bun in a window on Good Friday and it was said to never grow moldy. Reality — if you leave one of these buns out uncovered, it will likely turn into a hard stale ball, much like a hockey puck!
Moisture contributes to mold so it’s totally possible these buns won’t mold in the right conditions. I live in Florida so that theory may be tossed out the window because it’s very humid here.
ABOUT THE RECIPE
Hot Cross Bun are typically made with dried fruits such as raisins. Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg are also common ingredients.
If you’re not afraid to break tradition, try making these with other mix-ins like chocolate chips, dried cherries, cranberries, grated citrus rind, or nuts. Some non-traditional Hot Cross Buns use icing on top instead of the flour/water mixture.
Let’s get to the Hot Cross Bun recipe I used.
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup Raisins
- 1/2 cup Hot water
- 3/4 cup Evaporated milk
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp Instant yeast
- 3½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg (optional)
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened
Cross topping:
– 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
– 3 tsp Cold water
Glaze:
– 1 cup Powdered Sugar
– 3-4 tsp Warm water
– 1/2 cup Jam (Apricot, Strawberry, or Orange Marmalade)
– 1 tbsp Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Soak raisins in hot water to rehydrate them. Set aside.
- Pour evaporated milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl.
- Warm evaporated milk in 15-second increments just to warm slightly. Milk should be slightly warm, do not overheat.
- Pour warmed evaporated milk into a mixing bowl, add in sugar and mix gently so sugar starts to melt.
- Add in yeast, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Using the dough hook attachment on your mixer, mix ingredients starting on the slowest speed and increasing to medium speed. Continue mixing for approximately 5 minutes.
- Stop mixer and add in softened butter. Continue to mix for 2 minutes.
- Pour out water from raisins that have been soaking. Place raisins into dough mixture and continue to mix for one more minute.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead to form a smooth dough.
Enjoy your delicious Hot Cross Buns!