Hot cross buns Easter sweet rolls
The hot cross buns are sweet rolls typical of English-speaking countries, eaten mainly during the Easter period, more precisely on Good Friday. There are many variations of the classic recipe and many stories linked to these delightful soft rolls.
After preparing the colomba cake, the Massari pastiera and the almond Easter dove cookies, today I propose a slightly different but really excellent recipe.
I had never tasted hot cross buns before; I was intrigued by their shape and by the classic white cross made with a dough of water and flour (originally a small strip of shortcrust pastry was used). The recipe I propose is by Martha Stewart, although I made a few small changes. They are ready in a few hours and can be served with jams or creams.
The preparation is very simple and the rise time is short, so you can easily make them in an afternoon. The dough is very aromatic and slightly spiced, and it is enriched with raisins. They are usually eaten cut in half and filled with jam, but you can serve them with hazelnut spread or any creams you like.
Here are more Easter ideas
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 18 Minutes
- Portions: 12Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
- Energy 273.81 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 42.95 (g) of which sugars 10.02 (g)
- Proteins 7.38 (g)
- Fat 8.76 (g) of which saturated 4.81 (g)of which unsaturated 3.50 (g)
- Fibers 1.43 (g)
- Sodium 80.74 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 85 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups Manitoba flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (00)
- 6 1/3 tbsp butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 3/4 tsp fresh yeast
- 1/3 tsp salt
- lemon zest (grated; you need the zest of one organic lemon)
- orange zest (grated; you need the zest of half a natural orange)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (level)
- 1 tsp ground ginger (level)
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5/8 cup all-purpose flour (00)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
Tools
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Scale
- 1 Grater
- Paper towels
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Bowl large
- 1 Bowl small
- 1 Piping bag
Procedure
The dough can be made in a stand mixer as I did, but it is very simple and can easily be kneaded by hand.
Place the raisins in a small bowl with warm water for 15/20 minutes so they soften.
Pour the room-temperature milk into the bowl of the stand mixer, adding the sugar, yeast, salt, butter, orange and lemon zests, the spices and the eggs.
Turn on the stand mixer and work for 1 minute so the ingredients combine well.
Add the flours in 3 additions, continuing to knead until the dough is formed; you should obtain a soft, smooth dough.
Add the raisins, well squeezed and patted dry with paper towels, and incorporate them briefly.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for a few minutes to distribute the raisins evenly.
Shape into a ball, place it in a lightly buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about 2 hours, depending on the temperature in your home).
When the dough has risen, turn it out onto the work surface and divide it into 12 pieces of equal weight; form tight balls.
Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with the seam side down; cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume (about 1 hour).
Preparing the dough for the crosses on the buns is very simple.
Combine all the ingredients until you obtain a thick batter, put it in a piping bag and, as soon as the buns have risen, pipe a cross on each bun.
Bake the buns in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for 17/18 minutes, until they take on a nice golden color on the surface. Remove them from the oven and let cool.
Warm the apricot jam in the microwave or in a small saucepan and brush the surface of the buns to glaze them.
The hot cross buns Easter sweet rolls are ready; serve them with jams or creams.
Tips
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