Anyone got a good hot cross bun recipe ?

Gingernutmeg

I found this recipe the other day in the Times Online - looks interesting.

Hollydays, you're *never* going to get a home-made hot cross bun that's as squishy as the shop bought ones, as they're full of humectants and additives to make them that way - most will use a bun spice concentrate, which is basically a heavy sugar syrup with spice extracts in it, so that helps to make it squishier. You can try to look for a very rich almost brioche type recipe, and then brush them with sugar syrup when they come out of the oven and while they're cooling - that's about as close as you're going to get.

hollydays

Yes,that seems to make sense,I would rather have it a bit firmer than full of additives.

champys

I have just made a batch of HCB's and they have come out better than I ever thought I could make them - crosses, sticky glaze and all! I'm so proud, thank you for bringing back this thread at the right moment...... :-)

nick_b

This year I'm trying my hand at naturally-leavened HCBs. Recipe below if anyone's interested. I got it from the Dan Lepard site forums, so I'm guessing it's OK to post here..

This is from Martha Rose Shulman’s “The Bread Book” but converted to sourdough. She uses Elizabeth David’s spice mix which is:
1 large nutmeg grated
1 tablespoon of white or black pepper corns or allspice
1 six inch cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons cloves
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

Combine and grind. Store in a well-sealed jar.

The other outstanding feature of this recipe is the lemon and honey glaze.

Starter (twice refreshed) 186g
Milk 132g
Honey 60g
Butter 100g
Eggs 2 (114g)
Wholemeal 225g
Plain 300g
Spice 2 tsps
Salt 1 tsp
Currants 115g

1 egg white
2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 tablespoon honey for glaze

Melt the butter and cool. Add the milk. Stir in the butter, honey, eggs and starter.

Mix in the spice, salt, flours and currants. Knead until the dough is elastic.

Proving did not quite work out as planned. Had to go out so the dough ended up doing about 5 ½ hours in bulk. Scale at about 50g which should give you 24 buns (or 23 with my scales and ability). Flatten slightly. Prove 3 hours. Brush with whisked egg white and cut a cross in each.

Bake 25 minutes at Gas 7, 425F, 220C.

Brush with the glaze while still hot.

iwanttosave_2

We did the one on the Sainsburys advert (buns, marmalade and custard) and went down a storm with the kids. Lovely fast thing to do too, just shove some buns in a bowl, slap on marmalade and cover in custard and bake at gas mark 4 for 15 mins.

rachbc

Can I use a normal recipe and make the dough in the BM, then shape and prove and continue as normal?

7_week_wonder

I think so! At the weekend I made the dough in the BM (I used a recipe from the Panasonic Bread-Maker Manual) then when the dough was ready took it out of BM, shaped it into 8 rolls, left them in a warm place to double in size and then baked them in the (conventional) oven. They were yummy!

Butterfly_Brain

I only ever use the Bm for dough if I am making Rolls or Buns, just prove in a bowl and when doubled in size knock back , shape and leave to rise.
(I prefer to leave the dough to prove overnight and knock back the next day - the result is much better)

Penelope_Penguin

rachbc wrote: »

Can I use a normal recipe and make the dough in the BM, then shape and prove and continue as normal?

You can I'll add this to the existing HCB thread so that if poeple want to make Good Friday buns, they can see some recipes

Penny. x

flea72

im trying to find a recipe for hot cross buns, similar to the ones you buy in the shops

all the recipes ive tried so far are too bread based, so it tastes more like a sweet roll, with a crusty outside and fruity inside

any ideas

F