Making Hot Cross buns for the first time

Hey all. I make a lot of my own breads, buns etc but want to try my hand at Hot Cross Buns this year. My question is can you just use fruit mince mix like your Xmas cake or do you need to do the whole sultana, currants and mixed peel. And do they taste as good as brought or even better. yum yum

I personally do not use fruit mix and think it is much better with the correct mix and they are so much better than bought ones even the expensive bought ones cannot hold a candle to homemade ones

Thanks for your feedback :) yum can't wait to try them out.

I like lots of sultanas in mine - No peel in our house so mixed fruit is a big no no too.Plain old sultanas do it every time.

I'm with you, Gardie - peel is awful! I'm actually one of the sacriligious people who prefers chocolate to fruit but the most important thing is that there is plenty of spice. :-)

Rosa, do you have a favourite recipe/method?

Thanks for your feedback :) yum can't wait to try them out.

I'm with you, Gardie - peel is awful! I'm actually one of the sacriligious people who prefers chocolate to fruit but the most important thing is that there is plenty of spice. :-)

I can feel a baking session coming on! This is the recipe we've used for the past couple of years - I think I might try some others this year for comparison, too, but this is yummy:

Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp spices – mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ½ tsp yeast
1 cup milk, warmed
100g butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mixed dried fruit (optional)
½ cup flour (extra)
1 Tbsp butter (extra)
¼ tsp baking powder
Milk

Blend flour, salt, spices and brown sugar. Stir yeast and warm milk together and leave to stand for 15 minutes in a warm place (mixture should be frothy). Beat eggs and softened butter into the yeast mix, then add to dry ingredients and fruit, and mix until at a dough consistency. Place dough in a greased bowl and leave covered in a warm place for an hour, until doubled.

Turn onto a floured board and divide into 16 portions, rolling into balls and placing on a greased oven tray. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for another 30 minutes. Brush each bun with milk. Mix extra flour, butter and baking powder to make a paste and pipe crosses on top. Bake at 190 degrees celcius for 20-25 minutes.

If you're like me you can swap the fruit for chocolate with no ill effects. ;-)

Hi.. if you like an almond icing flavour - either bought or home made, chill it and then cut into thin strips about as thick as 3 match-sticks and the width of your buns long.

Bake the buns as per the recipe, until they're just a few minutes from being cooked.
Take the tray from the oven, and quickly place the strips in a cross on top of each bun.
Back into the oven until they're cooked.
The almond icing will give a sticky, caramel-almond flavoured cross which is just delicious..

Rosa, do you have a favourite recipe/method!

Thanks rosa and juliewn.I think I feel almond-crossed buns coming on...

I just made some chocolate ones that I adapted from the orignal spiced buns if anyone wants the recipe it is super easy only have to knead it once & they are light as a feather.

I can feel a baking session coming on! This is the recipe we've used for the past couple of years - I think I might try some others this year for comparison, too, but this is yummy:

Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp spices – mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ½ tsp yeast
1 cup milk, warmed
100g butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mixed dried fruit (optional)
½ cup flour (extra)
1 Tbsp butter (extra)
¼ tsp baking powder
Milk

Blend flour, salt, spices and brown sugar. Stir yeast and warm milk together and leave to stand for 15 minutes in a warm place (mixture should be frothy). Beat eggs and softened butter into the yeast mix, then add to dry ingredients and fruit, and mix until at a dough consistency. Place dough in a greased bowl and leave covered in a warm place for an hour, until doubled.

Turn onto a floured board and divide into 16 portions, rolling into balls and placing on a greased oven tray. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for another 30 minutes. Brush each bun with milk. Mix extra flour, butter and baking powder to make a paste and pipe crosses on top. Bake at 190 degrees celcius for 20-25 minutes.

If you're like me you can swap the fruit for chocolate with no ill effects. ;-)

Hi. if you like an almond icing flavour - either bought or home made, chill it and then cut into thin strips about as thick as 3 match-sticks and the width of your buns long.

Bake the buns as per the recipe, until they're just a few minutes from being cooked.
Take the tray from the oven, and quickly place the strips in a cross on top of each bun.
Back into the oven until they're cooked.
The almond icing will give a sticky, caramel-almond flavoured cross which is just delicious.

yes please suie1

Thanks rosa and juliewn.I think I feel almond-crossed buns coming on.

This sounds great but is that 2 tsp of each spice or just mix to get a mixture of those spices to get 2 tsp.Thanks hope this makes sense

Sorry, 2 tsp of each. :-)

Thanks so much I will try these out.. :-)

suie1 yes please! I'm always looking for nice choc x bun recipes. Are they still spicey?

Thanks so much I will try these out. :-)

suie1 yes please! I'm always looking for nice choc x bun recipes. Are they still spicey!

Is there any recipes that you don't have to do the whole yeast part?

Is there any recipes that you don't have to do the whole yeast part!