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by Joanna Brennan February 25, 2025 3 min read
Whether you love them plain, toasted with thick slabs of cold salted butter, or adorned with streaky bacon... hot cross buns are yet another one of the baked goods where freshly made buns with the best ingredients make such a difference over their mass produced counterparts.
While we will be making them from the 15th of March until the 27th April this year, fresh every day Wednesday to Sunday, we know that not all of you can make it to us. For those that would like to cross their own buns at home, this recipe is for you:
INGREDIENTS
Hot Cross Buns (Makes 12):
15g dried yeast
400g organic strong white flour
60g sugar
4g salt
10g pudding spice
140ml warm water
2 eggs
40g soft butter
90g currants
100g sultanas
A dash of oil
(olive, vegetable, rapeseed)
Crossing mix:
55g organic strong white flour
60ml water
10ml olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Sugar glaze:
50g granulated sugar
50ml apple juice, brought to the boil
METHOD:
1. Stir the yeast into the 140 ml of warm (not hot) water and leave it until foam is visible on the surface.
2. To make the bun dough, use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, or if you’re feeling energetic, knead by hand. Place the flour, sugar, salt, pudding spice, water and yeast mixture and eggs in the mixer. Mix the dough on a medium speed for about 5 minutes until it changes from an uneven texture to a soft, smooth and springy ball of dough. This will take about 10 minutes if kneading by hand.
3. Add in the soft butter in small chunks, mixing until fully incorporated. (Around 5 minutes)
4. Add in the currants and sultanas last and mix on a slow speed until the fruit is evenly distributed through the dough. The dried fruit can wick away some of the moisture from the dough so don’t be concerned if the dough is a little sticky.
5. Wipe the inside of a large bowl with oil of choice, and place the ball of dough in the bottom. Cover with a tea towel and place somewhere warm (inside an airing cupboard is ideal) and leave until it doubles in size. (Roughly 1 hour)
6. Cut the dough into 12 pieces weighing roughly 80g and shape into balls.
7. Place balls onto a baking sheet with baking paper and leave in a warm place until they’ve more than doubled in size. You can test for a good prove by lightly pressing the dough and if an indent remains, they’re good to go into the oven. (Roughly 1 hour)
8. Pre-heat the oven to 180c (fan).
9. Prepare your crossing paste by mixing all ingredients at once, until completely smooth. Mix should not be runny, but will drop off a spoon. Pour mixture into a piping bag.
10. Cut a small hole at the end of your piping bag and pipe crosses onto the buns.
11. Place buns in the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.
12. Prepare a simple apple syrup for glazing by mixing 50g sugar and 50ml apple juice brought to a boil in a saucepan, mixing until completely dissolved.
13. Remove buns from oven, and glaze by brushing warm sugar syrup onto them when still warm. Tear and enjoy!
If you enjoy all delicious foods that come with the season of Easter, browse our Luxury Easter Eggs.
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