Hot Cross Bun Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is a hot cross bun a cake or bread? ›

Hot cross buns were invented by the Christians in ancient Rome and are a traditional snack eaten during Easter. They are made of sweet, spiced bread dough with raisins which ia baked. Most people eat hot cross buns either toasted or cold with loads of butter.

A traditional Hot Cross bun should be topped with a slightly sticky glaze to make them glorious shiny and a cross. Some people pipe the cross, others roll out a little pastry to make a slightly thicker, neater one. It should be plain though, just flour and water (we will tackle the thorny problem of novelty shortly).

There could be a number of reasons why your hot cross buns turn out heavy or even hard. The most common reasons are as follows: Over kneading – this is more likely to happen if you use an electric mixer and dough hook. If you over knead dough it will break down the glutens and make the buns hard.

CHECK YOUR YEAST expiry date – The #1 problem because most people don't bake with yeast very often, and yeast does go off! If your yeast is past its expiry date OR you've kept it in hot humid conditions (instead of fridge or freezer), your dough will not rise.

Your hot cross buns are made entirely out of vegetable products so there's no need for anyone to pray over the batter while the baker stirs in currants and citrus peel. The stamp on the package simply signals to Muslims that it's okay to eat those buns — not that someone prayed over them.

Diabetes charity Diabetes UK recommends eating Hot Cross Buns or a small piece of Simnel cake as an alternative treat, although some people with diabetes may consider these too high-carb/calories even for a treat.

Hot cross buns contain a little fat from butter/shortening (around 5%) and are high in carbohydrate so consideration is needed around portion size for people with diabetes. Hot cross bun sizes vary a lot. For example, one commercial variety sold in a 6 pack contains 40g carbohydrate and 920 kJ (220 calories).

HOT CROSS BUNS ON GOOD FRIDAY

They are symbolic of this significant day in the Christian faith when Jesus was crucified. Each bun is decorated with a cross made from flour paste, which represents the cross on which Christ died.

“Toasting your HCB is the correct way. Microwaving your HCB is for psychos. While yes, they sort of resemble fruit toast, HCBs have embellishments that you don't find in fruit toast, e.g. the cross and the fancy glaze. Toasting gives a nice, firm, crunchy surface for optimal butter spreading.

The white topping on hot cross buns is typically a mixture of flour, water, and sugar. This simple yet versatile combination is known as a “cross paste” and is piped onto the buns before baking. Once the buns are in the oven, the paste sets and forms the iconic cross shape that gives these treats their name.

Is it better to toast or microwave hot cross buns? ›

Microwaves are where hot cross buns go to die a merciless, miserable death. Toasting not only caramelises the sugars in the fruit, but it gives the bun flavour while trapping some moisture inside so you're not left with a dry rubbery mess.

To make this Easter extra special why not have a go at baking your own hot cross buns using our easy recipe? You can prepare the dough the night before and let it prove in the fridge overnight. Then just pop them in the oven in the morning for that irresistible just-baked taste!

“If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

But almost as good as a proofing box is taking a Mason jar filled halfway up with water, microwaving it for two minutes, then putting your bowl of dough into the microwave with the jar to rise. The other thing you can do is place your lidded container or bowl of dough into a second, larger bowl of warm water.

Add ¼ teaspoon of ginger with the warm water when you are first proofing the yeast to help your bread rise higher and fluffier. It won't make your bread taste like ginger, either. Works for rolls, too.

Hot cross buns are basically just a sweetened, flavoured, yeasted bread dough. They are traditionally lightly spiced, and have dried fruit such as currants and raisins added to them.

A bun is a type of bread roll, typically filled with savory fillings (for example hamburger). A bun may also refer to a sweet cake in certain parts of the world. Though they come in many shapes and sizes, buns are most commonly round, and are generally hand-sized or smaller.

1. Teacakes and Hot Cross Buns are different – There are some striking differences between the two – and we don't just mean the decorative cross. Teacakes are often larger and flatter with a slightly harder consistency, meaning they can be enjoyed with a range of condiments, including jams and marmalades.

The cross is usually piped using a flour and water paste but can also be made from shortcrust pastry. For Christians, the cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus. The spices inside the buns symbolise the spices put on the body of Jesus after he died. The buns are best served hot, hence how they received their name.