Hot Cross Buns
These homemade tasty treats are typically eaten for Easter. The buns are soft, sweet, gently spiced and fruity. You can make a vegan version easily if you replace the honey with rice syrup.
Ingredients
- 750g wholemeal flour
- 35g fresh yeast (15g dried yeast)
- 100g currants
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 50g mixed peel
- 425ml water (cold or tepid not hot)
- 4 tblsp cold pressed oil
- 12g sea salt
- honey or rice syrup to glaze
Method:
- Place half the flour and all the peel in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl place the yeast, oil, allspice, cinnamon and water. Leave until the yeast is active, i.e. bubbles appear on the surface.
- When the yeast is active add to the flour and peel. This will be a thick batter. Beat well.
- Leave batter mixture until it has doubled in size.
- When it has doubled in size add salt. We do not add salt before this stage because it kills the yeast.
- Beat the mixture well and slowly add the rest of the flour until you get a soft dough. This is important- the stiffer the dough, the heavier the buns and we are hoping to have light, soft hot cross buns. You may not need all of the flour- it depends on the absorbency.
- Shape the buns (50g of dough gives a good sized bun) and place on an oiled baking sheet.
- Place a pastry cross, cut a cross or pipe a choux pastry cross on the top and leave to rise.
- Heat oven to 250°C/450°F/gas mark 7. It is important that the buns are cooked in an oven at this temperature.
- When the buns have doubled in size, cook for 14 minutes in the hot oven.
- Upon taking them out of the oven glaze with honey or rice syrup.
This recipe has been developed and adapted by Suma worker Holly (self-taught baker and ex-chef) from one that originally appeared in the Wholefood Easter Cookery book, a lovely pamphlet we have had in the Suma archive since 1982! It was written by The Wholefood Cookery School, Leicester.