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Recipe for Warm Soft Comforting Hot Cross Buns

Warm Soft Comforting Hot Cross Buns
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: South African Recipes
- Cuisine: United Kingdom
Description
We will soon be entering the festivities of Easter and those who are unable to find these buns in their parts can now bake themselves a dozen or two. Warm, soft, comforting tastes of home, South Africa.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Bread Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon All Spice
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 cup Citrus Peels (freshly zested/candied)
- 1/3 cup Raisins (optional)
- 1/3 cup Sugar/Honey
- 2 1/4 Teaspoon Yeast
- 1 1/2 cup Warm Milk
- 4 Tablespoons Butter (melted)
- 2 Eggs (beaten)
- Juice & zest of Citrus Fruit (blood oranges, grapefruit, mandarin, oranges, etc)
Glaze
- Citrus juice cooked with honey to a syrupy reduction then thickened with 1 teaspoon corn flour.
Cross
- 5 Tbsp Flour
- Water
Instructions
Hot Cross Buns
Sift all the dry ingredients together.
In a bowl whisk the warm milk, eggs, butter, and yeast together.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
Remove from the bowl and knead it until a soft dough is formed.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl.
Cover and place in a warm spot for about 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
Knock the dough down, portion and form into small balls.
Place closely to each other in a greased baking sheet.
Cover and let it rise again for 30 minutes.
Once risen, brush with egg then pipe the cross over the tops.
Bake at 180C / 350F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with the glaze while warm.
Enjoy!!
Cross
Mix flour and water until a smooth paste is formed.
Glaze
Citrus juice cooked with honey to a syrupy reduction then thickened with cornflour.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Rochelle Lazarus Govender from SA Tasty Recipes – Saffas Daily Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
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. The spices in hot cross buns are said to represent the spices that were used to embalm Christ after his death.
What is a Hot Cross Bun
A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun made with currants or raisins, marked with a cross on the top, and traditionally eaten on Good Friday.
The eating of hot cross buns marks the end of Lent because they are made with dairy products which are forbidden during this period. Plain buns are traditionally eaten hot or toasted during Lent, beginning on Shrove Tuesday and through to Good Friday.
More Hot Cross Bun Recipes to try out:
Read all about the history of Hot Cross Buns


