Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten for breakfast on Good Friday, hot from the oven. It is said that buns baked on Good Friday have magical powers and that they will keep for a year without going mouldy. I wouldn’t try it if I were you.
I have used muffin tins and muffin wraps to make the buns, they look nice and are easy to transport if you plan to give some as a gift. Home made buns do not keep as well as shop bought so make sure you eat them within 24 hours or freeze them and defrost when you wish to eat them.
First Mix:
200ml warm milk
1 tsp muscovado sugar
100g strong plain flour
1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast
Second Mix:
50g Pure Margarine or Butter
50g light muscovado sugar
300g strong plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice
Half tsp ground nutmeg
125g mixed dried fruits
75g dark chocolate chips
2 medium eggs, beaten
Crosses:
2 tbsp plain flour and water
How to make chocolate chip hot cross buns… WASH YOUR HANDS
- First Mix: Mix warm milk with the muscovado sugar, strong plain flour and the yeast – stir until smooth. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Second Mix: Sift flour, salt and spices into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, dried fruits, chocolate chips and add the yeast mixture, melted butter and eggs. Stir until combined to a dough. Add a little extra flour if dough is sticky.
- Tip dough onto lightly floured baking parchment and divide evenly into 12 – use one hand to knead the edges of each piece of dough into the centre and the other to keep turning the dough as you knead. When the dough balls are smooth turn each one over so the rounded side is on top.
- Place your hand over each dough ball like a claw and rotate round and round until you have a perfectly round shape on the bottom. Drop into the muffin cases in the trays, cover with clingfilm and leave in warm place for 45 minutes.
- Ask an adult to preheat the oven to 180oc/gas mark 4.
- Crosses: Mix flour and water together to form a stiff paste. Put into piping bag / plastic bags with end snipped off and pipe crosses on to hot cross buns.
Ask an adult to bake the bunsfor 25 minutes until golden brown.
