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hot cross buns
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5 from 4 votes

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns - soft, fluff and pillowy hot cross buns spiced with cinnamon, cloves and loaded with dried fruits. So good you can't stop eating
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Rest Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Baking Recipes
Keyword: Hot Cross Buns
Servings: 20 rolls
Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

Bread Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 1/4 cups milk room temperature
  • 3 large eggs 1 separated
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping Ingredients:

  • 1 large egg white reserved from above
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Icing Ingredients:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • 3-4 teaspoons milk

Instructions

  • Lightly coat a 9" x 13" (23cm x 33cm) baking pan with nonstick spray and set it aside. In a separate bowl, combine the apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Mix together all the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead on low speed using an electric mixer until the dough is soft and elastic. Gradually knead in the cooled fruit and the reserved liquid from the juice. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, covered.
  • Divide the dough into 20 balls, each slightly larger than a ping pong ball, using lightly oiled hands. Arrange them in the prepared pan in 4 rows of 5.
  • Cover the pan and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they are puffed and the edges are touching. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, then brush the mixture over the buns.
  • Bake the buns for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
  • Mix together the icing ingredients, adding just enough milk to achieve a sturdy, pipeable consistency. Pipe the icing in a cross shape atop each bun.

Notes

Adapted from: King Arthur Flour
Use a pastry bag to pipe the icing on the buns. Use as much or as little of the icing as you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 20rolls | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g