Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
Recipe:
Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
Easter is less than a week away, and my Easter baking has started in earnest with batches of cakes, bread and Hot Cross Buns being made almost daily, some to freeze for next weekend, and the rest to scoff now! Last year, I shared my own (family) recipe for Hot Cross Buns, Baking for Easter: The History of Hot Cross Buns ~ Traditional Hot Cross Buns Recipe ~ and it has proved to be a VERY popular recipe and post, with people all over the world contacting me to say they have made the buns, and how lovely they are……..it’s always nice when that happens, and it is a tangible reminder that many of my readers actually DO make the recipes I post on Lavender and Lovage, which is brilliant, and makes it all worth while. Along with my recipe, which I will share again today, I also shared the history of hot cross buns, which has also proved popular with readers, so, do pop over there if you are interested in the history and folk-lore that surrounds these little spiced and fruited buns.
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
This year I have decided to go a little “off piste” with my buns, in a manner of speaking! I will be using my old family recipe, as it really is a winner, but, I will be baking these buns in a muffin tray this year, (as you can see from my photos) in the manner of a French Brioche. I decided that we are going to go dainty for Easter tea, with smaller buns that are also a pretty shape; I was going to bake them in some traditional brioche moulds, but as they are vintage moulds, they are considerably smaller than the modern-day silicone moulds, and greed overtook “dainty” on that score! Plus, using a large muffin tray is easier than individual moulds. However, I was DELIGHTED how well these buns baked, and they were just as delicious as my usual “trencherman” buns.
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
All you have to do if you want to make these in a muffin tray, is to follow the recipe (below) exactly, until step 5, when you will shape them as instructed, but place them in a muffin tray instead of on a greased baking sheet. Prove them a second time as in step seven and then bake as normal in step 10, but for slightly less time – I found that they were baked to perfection in 15 minutes, but ovens DO vary. Pipe the crosses on as you would normally, and also make sure you add the sugar glaze when they come out of the oven. If you follow the instructions carefully, you will be rewarded with a dozen delicious hot cross buns, in the style of a brioche, or perhaps I should call them “Hot Cross Buffins”!
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
These freeze beautifully and you can still toast them the next day too – just cut them into three across the middle for hot toasted buns, and spread liberally with butter! If you don’t fancy slicing them to toast, then just pop them in a warm oven for about five to ten minutes, then split them and butter as before, with a generous hand. They work very well when baked this way, as the brioche dough it very similar to hot cross bun dough – they are both butter and egg enriched, but hot cross buns have spices and fruit added of course.
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
As these have been baked in the style of a French Brioche, sort of, I am entering them into this month’s Tea Time Treats, where the theme is French Tarts, Cakes, Bakes and Pastries – it maybe a LITTLE bit of a cheat, but it’s my challenge so I’ll cheat if I want too!! I am STILL hoping to bake something a little more French, but as the month gallops away, I am hedging my bets!
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
I hope you enjoy these Hot Cross Buns if you make them and please do let me know, as it’s always lovely to hear that one my recipes has gone global! It’s Palm Sunday tomorrow, and then the countdown to Easter week…….I hope you have lovely Sunday, and see you soon with some more seasonal treats. Karen
Hot Cross Buns
Print recipe
| Serves | 12 Hot Cross Buns |
| Prep time | 2 hours |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 2 hours, 20 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 450g strong white bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 50g butter
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon easy-blend dried yeast
- 210ml tepid milk
- 1 free-range egg
- 100g mixed dried fruit
- 25g cut mixed citrus peel
- 50g plain flour (for the crosses)
- 1 free-range egg (for the crosses)
- 30ml milk (for the glaze)
- 25g caster sugar (for the glaze)
Note
If you have a bread machine, you can start the dough in the machine up to the second proving stage. Add the dried fruit 5 minutes before the end of kneading or when your bread machine beeps.
Directions
| Step 1 | Sieve the flour, salt, ground mixed spice and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and yeast. |
| Step 2 | Beat the egg and add to the flour with the tepid milk. Mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit and mixed peel into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. |
| Step 3 | Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the buttered/greased mixing bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove. |
| Step 4 | Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise. |
| Step 5 | Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with the tea towel and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes. |
| Step 6 | Meanwhile, make the mixture for the crosses; mix the flour and egg to a stiff paste, but thin enough to pipe. Make the glaze too - heat the milk and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and set aside. |
| Step 7 | Place the hot cross buns onto buttered/greased baking trays, then place the tray/s inside a large oiled polythene bag. Tie the end of the bag tightly so that no air can get in and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise. |
| Step 8 | Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8. |
| Step 9 | When the buns have risen, remove them from inside the polythene bag, and then spoon the flour and egg mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun. |
| Step 10 | Bake the buns in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until pale golden-brown, and when turned over and tapped on the underneath they sound hollow. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the sugar and milk syrup, then set aside to cool on a wire rack. |
| Step 11 | Serve warm, split and spread with butter, or serve toasted, split and spread with butter. The cooked buns can be frozen for up to 3 months; allow 6 hours for them to defrost and serve as above. |
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
Recipe: Traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter in the style of Brioche!
I am also entering this recipe into:
Jen’s Classic French, where the theme is Brioche this month
Bake Your Own Bread, hosted by Roxanas Home Baking
And Yeast Spotting
DANIELLE VEDMORE says
Wow they look amazing. Might have to give them a try! xoxo
Victoria Androsova says
thank you for brilliant idea!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Victoria, do let me know if you make these! Karen
Claire Butler says
LOOK LUSH HAVE SHARED ON TWITTER
Susan o says
You make and bake the yummiest things. I wish I had time to crank out a dozen of these beauties for Easter next week.
Tracy Nixon says
Shared via G+! Thank you! I have been on the look out for a decent hot cross bun recipe – the shop bought ones are always so dry! This year, I am going to bake some myself – looking forward to the smell as they bake in the oven!
Dom says
What a brilliantly inventive way to bake HCB’s. I love it! I’ve not made mine yet and I have a manic week ahead (even working on Good Friday) but the thought of these baking in the oven next weekend is keeping me strong!
Susie @ Fold in the Flour says
Look lovely and light – perfect for Easter. 🙂
Clare Webb says
Ooh will have to try these! Any suggestions for alternatives to raisins / currants? I don’t like either.
Jacqueline says
I love them nestled all snug in their muffin tin, Too adorable. Wish I could reach in for a taste.
Fiona Matters says
Mmm yummy. I do like hot cross buns. Have shared on twitter.
Lisa Williams says
wow these look o goo I can almost taste them 🙂
Lisa Williams says
I never could figure out how they get the crosses on top thanks for letting me into the secret 🙂
Lisa Williams says
I think I would prefer these to the normal hot cross buns 🙂
Lisa Williams says
and I do haha I made these today and they were fantastic thanks so much 🙂
Lisa Williams says
I made a few to many and so have made a bread and butter pudding type thing with the leftovers from yesterday and its great 🙂 really good on this cold nights! I love your posts they are always so amazing and interesting and everything always tastes fantastic I wish I could come up with these ideas you are a really creative person.
Karen Booth says
THANK YOU so much Lisa! Your comments have made my day! I am thrilled that you love this recipe, and what I do! Happy Easter! Karen 🙂
Kevin Dooley says
They seem very flour intensive, it’s amazing how much they’ve risen, this is something I have to try out as I absolutely love hot cross buns but sometimes shop bought can taste like washing up liquid!
Maya Russell says
They do look amazing and different from the normal hot cross bun.
Maya Russell says
Shared on Twitter as @maisietoo – https://twitter.com/maisietoo/status/315849611812143105
Joshua Hampton (Cooking Classes San Diego) says
I’ve never tried making hot cross buns before. These look amazing. It makes me wonder how they’d taste with cream cheese. Only one way to find out, I suppose. Thanks for this recipe.
Karen Booth says
Bet they would be lovely with cream cheese, especially the chocolate stuff! 🙂
claire wilkinson says
fab will definatly be giving these a try
Charlotte @charlottekdiary says
These look great Karen. I’ll have to have a go this week – I only realised today (when I was told) that it’s Easter next weekend so am completely out of synch. Time to rectify that with a batch of these buns!
Kathryn says
What an excellent idea to make them in muffin tins, they look perfect!
shelley jessup says
These look so good! So good I have to share – @jessups
The Kitchenmaid says
Karen, you have read my mind! I’ve been making a lot of brioche lately and have been wondering about a HCB version. These look absolutely perfect. I hope you don’t mind but I’ve added them to my linky of great HCB recipes – it’s like a little archive of great Easter buns: http://kitchen-maid.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/the-holy-grail-of-hot-cross-buns.html
Hope all is well, Lucy x
sophie buckle says
Looks yummy x
Lisa Pope says
These look amazing, I’ve bookmarked ( well pinned it onto my food board ) the recipe & am going to bake these on Saturday with my girls
underthebluegumtree says
I’m not a hot cross bun fan but these caught my eye for simply looking so amazing! I love how they turn out when cooked in a muffin pan. Great idea!
Jane says
These look wonderful but I am wondering what is “mixed spice”? I always put my own combinations of spices into things and never buy pumpkin pie or apple pie spice as they sell here in the US. Thanks for the inspiration.
Karen Booth says
Thanks Jane! It’s what you all Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie spice in the USA! I do have a recipe to make your own mixed spice here: Mixed Spice Karen
Sara Jones says
Look lush perfect for Easter x
shelley jessup says
These sound good I would like to try them with chocolate chips/chunks in too.
Arabella Bazley says
Or how about Hot Cross Bunoches for a name, though it does sound more Mexican and maybe people would think there were chillies involved!
Karen Booth says
What a great idea, thanks Arabella!
Tracy Nixon says
Tweeted! Happy Easter!
Erica Price says
Loving the idea of combining two of my favourite things.
Tracy Nixon says
Lovely Easter recipe thanks – tweeted as @tracyknixon
Tracy Nixon says
Retweeted! Happy Easter!!!
Deborah Wheeler says
These sound great combining 2 things I really like
Mark Whittaker says
Don’t think it would replace traditional hot cross buns for me, just because of the memories they carry, but do love the sound of the the brioche bun, so would be a fantastic extra . Thank you x
Paul Wilson says
This looks like a nice twist on the classic Hot Cross Bun.
Jen @ BlueKitchenBakes says
A brilliant alternative to the traditional hot cross bun. Thanks for entering into Classic French in March, sorry it’s taken so long to visit properly!
alison says
ooh these look yummy
Maya Russell says
I made some Hot Cross Buns for Easter once – a little bit of effort required – and they were gone in a flash! These look nice.
Karen says
Thanks Maya!
Lisa Williams says
tweeted to share
Lisa Williams says
tweeted to share again 🙂
Chichis Closets says
I just came across your website via technorati and I am already a subscriber of this blog. I love the idea of lemonade scone which I will try out with them during the holiday.
Karen says
Thanks so much for your comment and do let me know how they turn out too! Karen
kayleigh white says
Absolutely love these!
Thank you for the recipe!