Original Hot Cross Buns Mary Berry Recipe

Prepare this delicious Hot Cross Buns Mary Barry recipe making around 12 delicious hot cross buns for the holidays and serve them for a hearty Easter breakfast.

Soft, spicy, and fragrant: hot cross buns are sweet sandwiches of British origin, traditionally prepared during the Easter holidays, even if they are now available all year round.

Yields: 12 buns
Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total: 1hr

Why are the Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns a Success?

It’s impossible not to appreciate this aromatic bread recipe enriched with cinnamon among the spices, lemon zest, and dried fruits including sultanas and raisins.  In addition to the decidedly aromatic and sweet taste, the peculiarity of the hot cross buns is the cross on the surface: it recalls the practice of engraving the dough of bread with this sign before letting it rise, but also one of the most significant symbols of Christianity. The cross-on sandwiches can be made in various ways; we opted for a glaze made with flour and golden syrup.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1lb 2oz) white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/3 cup (2¾ oz) caster sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon, finely grated zest only
• 2 tsp (¼ oz)  salt
• 2 tsp (¼ oz) fast-action dried yeast
• 3 tbsp (1½ oz) butter
• 1¼ cups (10fl oz) milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup (7 oz) sultanas
• ¼ cup (1¾ oz) mixed candied peel, finely chopped
• oil, for greasing

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1/3 cup (2¾oz) plain flour
• 2 tbsp golden syrup, for glazing

How to Cook Hot Cross Buns by Marry Berry

1. Start by placing the sifted flour, the sugar, and the yeast in the bowl of a planetary mixer fitted with a leaf. (The kneading can also be done on a work surface using your hands)
2. Pour in the warm milk slowly as you start mixing the ingredients.
3. Pour in the tepid water, the egg and continue to mix with the leaf until the dough is homogeneous.
4. Replace the leaf with the hook.
5. Add the spices and lemon zest.
6. Add the softened butter one piece at a time, waiting for the previous for each piece to mix with the dough.
7. Finally, add the salt and knead the dough until it’s homogeneous, smooth, and elastic. Let it stick to the hook! 
8. Place the dough on a work surface flattening it out and seasoning it with the well-drained raisins sultanas, raisins, and candied fruit on top. Wrap the dried fruits in the dough.
9. Place the dough back in the planetary mixer to incorporate all the dried fruits.
10. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with transparent film. 
11. Let it rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the oven off with the light on. 
12. Work the dough on a work surface adding flour on the surface or otherwise pouring a drop of oil to prevent the dough from sticking.
13. Give the dough a quick knead, then give it the shape of a ball and put it back in the bowl for a second rising.
14. After the necessary time, the hot cross buns dough will have doubled its volume. 
15. Now it’s time to shape the buns, divide the dough into bites of, and give each one a spherical shape.
16. Place the buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper covering them with plastic and leaving them for another hour. 
17. In the meantime, prepare the topping by pouring the sifted flour into a small bowl, adding the syrup, and whisking until you get a smooth consistency.
18. Fill a ziplock bag with the glaze obtained and snip a corner creating a tiny tip. 
19. Make the typical cross of hot cross buns and cook in a preheated static oven at 220° for around 15-20 minutes.
20. Once cooked, take the hot cross buns out of the oven and place them on a wire rack
21. Let them cool down and serve your hot cross buns for a sweet breakfast!

Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Brunch, Snack, Tea

Cuisine British

Servings 12 buns

Calories 335.47 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups 1lb 2oz white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/3 cup 2¾ oz caster sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon finely grated zest only
• 2 tsp ¼ oz salt
• 2 tsp ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast
• 3 tbsp 1½ oz butter
• 1¼ cups 10fl oz milk
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup 7 oz sultanas
• ¼ cup 1¾ oz mixed candied peel, finely chopped
• oil for greasing
• For the topping
• 1/3 cup 2¾ oz plain flour
• 2 tbsp golden syrup for glazing

Instructions

 

• Start by placing the sifted flours, the sugar and the yeast in the bowl of a planetary mixer fitted with a leaf. (The kneading can also be done on a work surface using your hands)
• Pour in the warm milk slowly as you start mixing the ingredients.
• Pour in the tepid water, the egg and continue to mix with the leaf until the dough is homogeneous.
• Replace the leaf with the hook.
• Add the spices and lemon zest.
• Add the softened butter one piece at a time, waiting for the previous for each piece to mix with the dough.
• Finally add the salt and knead the dough until it's homogeneous, smooth and elastic. Let it stick to the hook!
• Place the dough on a work surface flattening it out and seasoning it with the well-drained raisins sultans, raisins and candied fruit on top. Wrap the dried fruits in the dough.
• Place back the dough in the planetary mixer to incorporate all the dried fruits.
• Place the dough in a bowl and cover with transparent film.
• Let it rise for 1 hours and 30 minutes in the oven off with the light on.
• Work the dough on a work surface adding flour on the surface or otherwise pour a drop of oil to prevent the dough from sticking.
• Give the dough a quick knead, then give it the shape of a ball and back in the bowl for a second rising.
• After the necessary time, the hot cross buns dough will have doubled its volume.
• Now it's time to shape the buns, divide the dough into bites of and give each one a spherical shape.
• Place the buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper covering them with plastic and leaving them for another hour.
• In the meantime, prepare the topping by pouring the sifted flour into a small bowl, adding the syrup and whisking until you get a smooth consistency.
• Fill a ziplock bag with the glaze obtained and snip a corner creating a tiny tip. 
• Make the typical cross of hot cross buns and cook in a preheated static oven at 220° for around 15-20 minutes.
• Once cooked, take the hot cross buns out of the oven and place them on a wire rack
• Let them cool down and serve your hot cross buns for a sweet breakfast!

Keyword easter sweets, fruit bread, lent food