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Apple, Sultana & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

I could eat hot cross buns all year round and this recipe is a fabulous variation to normal ones…

Apple, Sultana, Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Print Recipe
Prep Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 people

Equipment

  • 1 Piping bag for the crosses on the top

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g Strong bread flour
  • 60 g caster sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 8 g salt
  • 8 g easy bake yeast
  • 205 ml whole milk slightly warmed
  • 1 medium egg lightly beaten
  • 32 g butter cubed and softened
  • 60 g dried apple chopped into small chunks
  • 80 g sultanas
  • 125 g apricot jam to make the glaze
  • 2 tbsp water to make the glaze
  • 80 g plain flour to make the paste / cross on top
  • 80 mls cold water to make the paste / cross on top
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for greasing the bowl and cling film

Instructions
 

  • For the dough proving preheat your oven to 50 degrees Celsius / gas mark lowest ½ – we just want it warm. If you have a dough proving setting on your oven then you can use this instead or on a sunny day putting the dough in direct sunlight works for me.
  • Put the flour, spices and into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter and beaten egg.
    Slightly warm the milk and add half to the dry ingredients. Use your hands to bring the mixture together, incorporating the flour from the edges of the bowl as you go. Gradually add the remaining milk, to form a soft pliable dough (you may not need all of the milk).
  • Tip the dough out on to a lightly oiled work surface. Lightly knead for 10 – 20 minutes until silky and elastic and forming a smooth ball. (If you are using a mixer with a dough hook then the kneading stage is approximately 10 minutes.)
  • Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • When the dough has risen add the dried apple and sultanas to the top of the dough and knead gently to combine.
  • Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 8 – 10 pieces (depending on how big you want your buns). You can cut the dough using a dough scraper or sharp knife.
  • Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball, pinching the dough at the bottom like a dim sum, this will form the bottom of the bun.
    With the bun on the work surface, roll the bun around your hand and fingers until the top of the bun is smooth.
  • Line a baking tray with paper and place the buns on the tray, placing them fairly close together and flattening them slightly by pressing them down on the top.
  • Lightly oil a large piece of cling film (you want it big enough to cover the baking tray. Gently place the cling film over the buns.
    Leave for 40-50 minutes until the buns have visibly risen in size.
  • Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas mark 6
  • To make the cross on the top, add the flour to a bowl with 85ml water.
    Mix together to make a paste and spoon into the piping bag. (Snip a small amount off the end of the piping bag when you are ready to pipe the cross.)
    When the buns have risen, remove the cling film and pipe a cross on each bun.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale golden-brown, turning the baking tray round halfway through if necessary, so what is facing the back of the oven is now facing the front, this helps the buns bake evenly.
  • Warm the apricot jam with a little water in a pan so that its runny, then sieve to remove any lumps of apricots and set aside.
  • When the buns are baked and out of the oven, brush to tops with the apricot glaze and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • Grab a cuppa and thoroughly enjoy!
  • The buns can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Any spare apricot glaze can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

I could eat hot cross buns all year round and this recipe is a fabulous variation to normal ones…

Apple, Sultana, Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Print Recipe
Prep Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 people

Equipment

  • 1 Piping bag for the crosses on the top

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g Strong bread flour
  • 60 g caster sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 8 g salt
  • 8 g easy bake yeast
  • 205 ml whole milk slightly warmed
  • 1 medium egg lightly beaten
  • 32 g butter cubed and softened
  • 60 g dried apple chopped into small chunks
  • 80 g sultanas
  • 125 g apricot jam to make the glaze
  • 2 tbsp water to make the glaze
  • 80 g plain flour to make the paste / cross on top
  • 80 mls cold water to make the paste / cross on top
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for greasing the bowl and cling film

Instructions
 

  • For the dough proving preheat your oven to 50 degrees Celsius / gas mark lowest ½ – we just want it warm. If you have a dough proving setting on your oven then you can use this instead or on a sunny day putting the dough in direct sunlight works for me.
  • Put the flour, spices and into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter and beaten egg.
    Slightly warm the milk and add half to the dry ingredients. Use your hands to bring the mixture together, incorporating the flour from the edges of the bowl as you go. Gradually add the remaining milk, to form a soft pliable dough (you may not need all of the milk).
  • Tip the dough out on to a lightly oiled work surface. Lightly knead for 10 – 20 minutes until silky and elastic and forming a smooth ball. (If you are using a mixer with a dough hook then the kneading stage is approximately 10 minutes.)
  • Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • When the dough has risen add the dried apple and sultanas to the top of the dough and knead gently to combine.
  • Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 8 – 10 pieces (depending on how big you want your buns). You can cut the dough using a dough scraper or sharp knife.
  • Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball, pinching the dough at the bottom like a dim sum, this will form the bottom of the bun.
    With the bun on the work surface, roll the bun around your hand and fingers until the top of the bun is smooth.
  • Line a baking tray with paper and place the buns on the tray, placing them fairly close together and flattening them slightly by pressing them down on the top.
  • Lightly oil a large piece of cling film (you want it big enough to cover the baking tray. Gently place the cling film over the buns.
    Leave for 40-50 minutes until the buns have visibly risen in size.
  • Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas mark 6
  • To make the cross on the top, add the flour to a bowl with 85ml water.
    Mix together to make a paste and spoon into the piping bag. (Snip a small amount off the end of the piping bag when you are ready to pipe the cross.)
    When the buns have risen, remove the cling film and pipe a cross on each bun.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale golden-brown, turning the baking tray round halfway through if necessary, so what is facing the back of the oven is now facing the front, this helps the buns bake evenly.
  • Warm the apricot jam with a little water in a pan so that its runny, then sieve to remove any lumps of apricots and set aside.
  • When the buns are baked and out of the oven, brush to tops with the apricot glaze and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • Grab a cuppa and thoroughly enjoy!
  • The buns can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Any spare apricot glaze can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

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