Easter Buns : Hot Cross Buns

Assuming you manage to get some down time this weekend, an Easter buns baking project could be just the ticket. Easter buns seem challenging, but they’re easier than you think. A little time and patience and you’ll have gorgeous, fresh buns to share, and the smell of Easter spice filling the house!

Just add butter and hot coffee (or Nadia’s cinnamon spiced hot chocolate) and you’re away!This Easter Buns recipe from Nigella Lawson couldn’t be more straight forward.

Easter Buns: Hot Cross Buns By Nigella

“I make my hot cross buns slightly smaller than is traditional. Don’t know why, just like them that way, but you form them the size you want, please. Just one thing I must be strict about: you do need to use proper bread flour here, not the usual plain. There’s no point to all this effort and ruining your chances of success over such a small but significant point.By effort, I don’t mean you need to be hugely active or expert to make these; you just need the patience to sit around while they rise and the faith to believe they will. Very appropriate.”

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE DOUGH:

• 150 millilitres milk

• 50 grams

• Zest of 1 orange

• 1 clove

• 2 cardamom pods

• 400 grams strong white bread flour

• 1 x 7 grams packet easy-blend yeast

• 125 grams mixed dried fruit

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 large egg

FOR THE EGG WASH:

• 1 large egg (beaten with a little milk)

FOR THE CROSS ON THE BUNS:

• 3 tablespoons plain flour

• ½ tablespoon caster sugar

• 2 tablespoons water

FOR THE SUGAR GLAZE:

• 1 tablespoon caster sugar

• 1 tablespoon boiling water

METHOD:

Heat the milk, butter, orange zest, clove and cardamom pods in a saucepan until the butter melts, then leave to infuse. I have gone rather cardamom mad recently, but this short aromatic infusion gives a heavenly scent to the little fruited buns later.

Measure the flour, yeast and dried fruit into a bowl and add the spices. When the infused milk has reached blood temperature take out the clove and cardamom pods, and beat in the egg. Pour this liquid into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Knead the bowl either by hand or with a machine with a dough hook; if it is too dry add a little more warm milk or water. Keep kneading until you have silky, elastic dough, but bear in mind that the dried fruit will stop this from being exactly satin smooth.

Form into a ball and place in a buttered bowl covered with clingfilm, and leave to prove overnight in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220ºC/200ºC Fan/425ºF. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.

Punch the dough down, and knead it again until it is smooth and elastic. Divide into 16 balls and shape into smooth round buns. I wouldn’t start worrying unduly about their size: just halve the dough, and keep halving it until it’s in eight pieces, and use that piece to make two buns. Or just keep the dough as it is, and pinch off pieces slightly larger than a ping pong ball and hope you end up with 16 or thereabouts. Not that it matters.

Sit the buns on a baking parchment or Bake-O-Glide-lined baking sheet. Make sure they are quite snug together but not touching. Using the back of an ordinary eating knife, score the tops of the buns with the imprint of a cross. Cover with a teatowel and leave to prove again for about 45 minutes – they should have risen and almost joined up.

Brush the buns with an egg wash, and then mix the flour, sugar and water into a smooth, thick paste. Using a teaspoon, dribble two lines over the buns in the indent of the cross, and then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

When the hot cross buns come out of the oven, mix the sugar and boiling water together for the glaze, and brush each hot bun to make them sweet and shiny..