Hot cross buns — enriched yeasted buns spiced with cinnamon, mixed spice, and candied peel, marked with a pastry cross and glazed after baking — are England's Great Easter morning bread, traditionally eaten on Good Friday. The cross is ancient: marked breads have pre-Christian origins across Europe, but the Christian association of the cross with Easter has given this preparation its permanent seasonal identity. A good hot cross bun should be soft and pillowy, with a distinct spice character, plenty of dried fruit, and a shiny, sweet glaze. The pastry cross must be distinct and white (an additional flour-water paste piped over the unbaked buns); the glaze (apricot jam or a simple sugar syrup) applied immediately after baking gives the characteristic shine. They are best eaten warm from the oven, split and buttered, within hours of baking.
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The Method
1
Combine bread flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in bowl of stand mixer; add egg, warm milk, and water, then mix on medium speed with dough hook for 8 minutes until dough comes together.
2
Add softened butter in three additions, mixing 2 minutes between additions, until dough is smooth and elastic, approximately 10 minutes total mixing time; dough should be soft and tacky.
3
Fold in drained dried fruit, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves by hand until evenly distributed; shape into round, place in oiled bowl, cover, and bulk ferment at 26°C for 60 minutes until doubled.
4
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; shape each into tight ball and place on parchment-lined baking tray, spacing 4cm apart; cover and proof at 26°C for 45 minutes until increased by half.
5
Preheat oven to 200°C; pipe or spoon cross paste in thin lines across top of each bun in cross pattern using piping bag or small spoon.
6
Bake 18–20 minutes until golden brown and hollow when tapped, 90–92°C internal temperature; remove from oven.
7
Immediately brush warm buns with sugar glaze while still on tray; transfer to wire rack and cool completely, approximately 45 minutes.
8
Serve warm or at room temperature, split horizontally and filled with butter and jam if desired.
