Hot cross buns are sweet buns with spices and raisins and marked with a cross on top. This bun marks the end of lent period during Easter for the Christians.
Ingredients
1. Flour (maida) – 500 gm
2. Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp
3. Nutmeg powder – ¼ tsp
4. Dried raisins – ½ cup
5. Salt – ½ tsp
6. Grated lemon/orange rind – 1 tsp
7. Vegetable oil – ½ cup
8. Eggs – 3 large
9. Sugar – 1/3 cup (70 gm)
10. Instant dry yeast – 2 tsp
11. Warm milk – ¾ cup
For the hot sugar glaze
1. Sugar – ½ cup
2. Water – 3 Tbsp
3. Vanilla essence – 1tsp
For the cross
1. Maida – ¼ cup
2. Water – as needed
Preparation
1. Mix yeast in the milk in a bowl. Add eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, and vegetable oil and beat well.
2. Add flour, grated lemon rind, salt, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and mix well.
3. Add raisins and stir the ingredients well until the dough becomes smooth.
4. Transfer the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. Keep aside for 1½ to 2hours till it doubles in size.
5. After the dough rises turn it onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down to release the air.
6. Divide the dough into even pieces (10-15 approx). Shape each piece into a ball by rolling between your hands.
7. Keep all the buns in a greased pan, leaving space between them to expand.
8. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and keep aside for another one hour.
9. Mix maida with enough water to make a paste-like batter and pipe it on top of each bun in the shape of a cross before baking.
10. Preheat oven to 170 degree celcius.
11. Uncover the buns and bake for 20-25 minute until it browns on top.
12. For the sugar glaze. Mix sugar, water and vanilla essence and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Brush this syrup over the baked buns and let it cool completely.
Tips
1. The cross can be made with icing sugar also. For that, mix 100 gm icing sugar with 1 Tbsp milk. Mix well to a paste and pipe it over the baked buns.
2. Butter can be used in place of oil.
3. Mixed peels also can be added along with the raisins.
4. Apricot jam also can be used for glazing. (1 Tbsp apricot jam mixed with 1 Tbsp water)
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