Name: Hot cross buns, two ways
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 41 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: 6 buns
Ingredients: 450 g Strong white flour; 80 g Caster sugar; 125 g Sultanas; 7 g Fast action yeast; 75 ml Milk; 125 ml Warm water; 50 g Salted butter, melted; 1 Egg, beaten; 1 Orange, zest only; 2 tsp Mixed spice; ½ tsp Ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg; 50 g Plain flour; 20 g Caster sugar; 45 ml Water; 65 ml Milk; 30 g Caster sugar

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The recipe

Hot cross buns, two ways

In my opinion you can't beat serving these toasted with butter and a good cup of tea.

Makes 6 buns
25 min prep
1 hour 41 min cooking
1 hour 39 min hands-off
One to take your time over

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Scale

6 buns

Measurements

Method

Step 1
Begin by placing 75ml of milk (75 ml) and 125ml of warm water (125 ml) into a jug. Add in the dried yeast (7 g), mix and set to one side to active for around 10 minutes.
Step 2
In a mixing bowl add the flour (450 g), sugar, orange (1) zest, sultanas (125 g), mixed spice (2 tsp), ground cinnamon (½ tsp), and ground nutmeg (¼ tsp).
Step 3
Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast (7 g) mixture followed by the beaten egg (1) and melted butter (50 g).
Step 4
Mix to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and begin kneading. Knead for roughly 5 to 10 minutes until the dough feels smooth.
Step 5
Place into a bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Prove for at least 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Step 6
After one hour, the dough is ready to turn out onto the surface again and knead for 1 minute to knock the air out. Divide the dough into two.
Step 7
To make the buns, cut one half into six equal-sized pieces. Roll into balls and place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Firmly press down with your hand to flatten. Leave a small space between each one to allow space to rise. Cover and prove again for 40 minutes.
Step 8
For the loaf, cut one half into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place them side by side in a loaf tin. Cover and allow to rise for 40 minutes.
Step 9
After the second prove, prepare the cross mixture by mixing all cross ingredients together. Pipe the cross mixture onto the buns and loaf and place into a preheated oven at 180°C - 356°F for 40 minutes or until golden on top.
Step 10
Make the glaze be dissolving the sugar into the milk (75 ml) and brush onto the top of the buns and loaf as soon as they come out of the oven.

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Questions people ask

How long does hot cross buns, two ways take?

About 3 hours 45 min from start to finish: 25 min of prep, 1 hour 41 min of cooking, and 1 hour 39 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does it make?

As written it makes 6 buns. Use the scale control on the recipe card to change it: every quantity in the ingredients and inside the method steps updates with it. Seasoning, and anything measured in pinches or splashes, is deliberately left alone.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Is it vegetarian?

Yes, as written. If you are cooking for a strict vegetarian, the one to check is the cheese: several hard cheeses are made with animal rennet.

Hot cross buns, two ways

Hot cross buns, two ways

Ingredients

The dough

For the cross