Easy hot cross buns

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• SamPearson

  23 March 2009

  SamPearson commented on this recipe

  Made these on the weekend, and while very easy, found them very heavy. Will try again, but will knead the dough for a bit to see if that lightens them up. Crosses were horrible and had to peel off. I've not had much luck with crosses though - any tips out there?

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• MaryW, Finland

  24 March 2009

  MaryW, Finland rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made this today from the April 09 GF mag, and wouldn't say they were any easier to make than other recipes I've tried, apart form not having to knead them. I guess that's why they come out quite heavy. Instead of messing about rubbing in the butter it's easier to just melt it and stir it in with the other liqiuds. All in all quite average really.

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• SamPearson

  30 March 2009

  SamPearson commented on this recipe

  Have made them again, with better success. (Canadians should look for pumpkin pie spice in the grocery store, which is the same as mixed spice). Kneaded in the bowl for 5 minutes or so, and easily got a bakers dozen, rather than the eight buns the recipe suggested, and they're still a good size. Dispensed with crosses, and they're a big hit.

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• JellyCake

  31 March 2009

  JellyCake rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Have just made these and they turned out brilliantly. I melted the butter and added it with the wet ingredients. I also waited the 5 minutes after mixing then turned it out and kneeded it for about 5 mins, managed to get 12 good size bun out of the mix. They rose nicely and taste great!

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• Blackcat2

  01 April 2009

  Blackcat2 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Tasty buns but quite heavy and large. Would knead more and make smaller buns next time.

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• Lisa Online

  01 April 2009

  Lisa Online commented on this recipe

  Really tasty, but could do someone an injury as they are so heavy! Absolutely need to knead these buns to make them lighter!

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• elizabeth

  02 April 2009

  elizabeth rated and commented on this recipe

  

  My daughter took this recipe to school and made the buns in her cookery class. They turned out very well though next time she would make 10 or even 12. They were a big hit with everyone in her class, not many came home. We also did not like the flour and water crosses - they are rather chewy but easy to peel off so that was OK!

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• Farah

  05 April 2009

  Farah commented on this recipe

  I wanted to make these buns but was so glad that I read the other comments. The problem everyone had was that they were too heavy. I used the ingredients stated in the recipe but let them rise before adding the fruit. I left them for 2 hours. I then added the fruit and let them rise again. They were fantastic. Would make them again for sure.

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• Sylvie

  08 April 2009

  Sylvie commented on this recipe

  I made these hot X buns in the bread maker - I omitted the fruit and set the bread maker on the pizza setting. I then removed the dough and added the fruit, knocked down and kneaded just to disperse the fruit. I made 10 smallish buns, left them to prove for 30 minutes before baking for 12 minutes. Everyone said they were the best hot X buns they have ever had.

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• Cakes Galore!

  09 April 2009

  Cakes Galore! rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I wish I had read the comments before making these. Made them last night and was quite disappointed. Far too heavy and the crosses were not very nice either. Am going to attempt them again at the weekend using some of the tips above though!

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• April HC

  09 April 2009

  April HC commented on this recipe

  Has anyone come up with an idea for the crosses which taste OK and don't have to be peeled off?

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• Jane

  09 April 2009

  Jane commented on this recipe

  To those of you cross with the crosses: I made some hot cross buns with crosses like this last year or the year before (I think it was this recipe, but couldn't swear to it), and the crosses really were horrible. I'm in the middle of making Delia's hot cross buns at the moment, which have always come out great. She suggests either cutting a cross into the buns or adding strips of shortcrust pastry to form a cross before cooking. I'm doing the former but only because I can't be bothered to make some shortcrust pastry just for a couple of crosses!

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• PeterGander

  09 April 2009

  PeterGander commented on this recipe

  I'll be giving this a go with the kids, hopefully at the weekend and will see if we can come up with a cross-making solution that leaves us not cross, but happy ;)

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• Diana

  09 April 2009

  Diana rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I've never made Hot cross buns before so when I saw there were a few comments that the buns are heavy, I put all the ingredients in the bread maker on the dough setting before cutting them up and baking in the oven - they're very light, no problems there. The crosses problem is an odd one, I did the flour and water method as directed and you can't taste them, (after all there's flour and water in the buns too) they look just like the ones in the shops (in the UK). We live in the US and if you buy them here, they do the crosses with icing - it's another option....

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• Diana

  09 April 2009

  Diana commented on this recipe

  OOh, one other thought with the crosses, I did water down the flour/water mixture, it seemed too thick with only 2tbsp of water - maybe that's the problem...

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• Pam

  10 April 2009

  Pam commented on this recipe

  I also wish I'd read the comments before making these; flavour was fine but the texture seemed wrong in comparison with bakery bought buns. Couldn't get the paste mixture to pipe out at all, so ended up adding flour and rolling it out, then cutting strips. Used a different glaze (1/3 cup water and 2 tbsp caster sugar, boil for 5 mins) as I thought the honey would make them too sticky and sweet. I'm about to get a bread maker, so will try again using the helpful tips.

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• La Derniere Miette

  10 April 2009

  La Derniere Miette commented on this recipe

  I think the trick is to leave the mixture to rise in a covered bowl for 30mins-hour, knead for 5-10 minutes, and then cut dough into equal parts and shape into buns. I got 11 medium-sized buns from this quantity of dough. And they came out light, and quite delicious. I added some maple butter I had in the fridge to the cross mixture and it came out fine. Happy Easter!

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• shez

  11 April 2009

  shez rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Glad I've read this and everyone elses came out heavy! Do not drop these on your toes!!! They were really tasty though and lovely toasted for breakfast this morning and will probably keep me going all day!

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• Mandinga

  11 April 2009

  Mandinga commented on this recipe

  I haven't made this recipe, but with regards to the cross issue, I would only ever use buttercream icing, piped on once the buns are cool, to make the cross. As mentioned above, this is an American custom, which I inherited from my Chicago-born mother, and always goes down a storm when I make them for others. You can add vanilla to the icing, or almond essence, which gives a simnel cake edge to the buns.

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• Ruthy

  11 April 2009

  Ruthy commented on this recipe

  I've not made these particular buns but made another recipe yesterday. The crosses were made from 25g of butter/marg rubbed into 50g plain flour and then mixed to a paste and then piped onto the buns before baking. Result, perfect crosses!!

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http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10119/

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Ingredients

FOR THE BUNS

• 500g strong white bread flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 heaped tsp mixed spice
• 50g caster sugar
• 50g butter , chopped into cubes
• 200g mixed dried fruits
• 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast
• 200ml milk
• 2 eggs

FOR THE CROSSES & GLAZE

• 3 tbsp plain flour
• honey or golden syrup, for brushing

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Difficulty and servings

Makes 8

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 20 mins

Cook 15 mins

Ingredients

FOR THE BUNS

• 500g strong white bread flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 heaped tsp mixed spice
• 50g caster sugar
• 50g butter , chopped into cubes
• 200g mixed dried fruits
• 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast
• 200ml milk
• 2 eggs

FOR THE CROSSES & GLAZE

• 3 tbsp plain flour
• honey or golden syrup, for brushing

PER BUN

374 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 71g, fat 8 g, saturated fat 4g, fibre 3g, sugar 25g, salt 0.49 g

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