Name: Hot Cross Buns 橙香十字餐包
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 250 g bread flour; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 25 g brown sugar; 3 g instant yeast; 2 g salt; 50 g milk; 60 g orange juice ((about half of a medium orange)); 1 large egg; 25 g butter; 55 g raisins, (soak and pat dry); Zest of orange, (half (optional)); 35 g butter, (softened slightly); 15 g sugar; 20 g plain flour; 1/2 tbsp apricot jam; 1/2 tbsp water

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Hot cross buns are sweet bread buns, made with spices and raisins. It carries this recognizable cross on the top of the bun. These buns would mark the end of Lent. Traditionally, it’s supposed to be eaten on Good Friday, as the cross “+” bears resemblance to Jesus crucified on the cross.

These hot cross buns has a subtle orange scent, which goes quite well with the cinnamon as well as raisins. The cross piping is slightly different. The usual recipes use flour and water, or simply icing sugar glaze after baking. This piping here tastes a little like bo luo buns topping. It’s crusty and slightly sweet, which adds a nice touch to the bread!

若想阅读中文版本，请在网页的右边 “Google Translate” 点击选择中文简体 (Chinese Simplified）或繁体 (Chinese Traditional) 翻译。可能食谱读起来会怪怪的，所以如果有疑问都可以问哦！

Last year, I tried hot cross buns for the first time. However, with my hands full with a young baby and a toddler, I could only try out the no-knead version, which tasted best on the day of baking 🙂

This year, since I had more time (really?! lol), I decided to try making hot cross buns earlier. Hope I will also have time to try out a chocolate version!

>> MORE BREAD BUN RECIPES:

These buns are soft and slightly sweet due to the cross piping and jam glaze. If you prefer it to be sweeter, you can cut the buns and spread with a thin layer of jam! I feel that this goes pretty well with a glass of hot tea, which is great as breakfast or for a relaxing afternoon tea.

My cross piping baked to be a little too spread out because I prepared it just before piping, and it got a little too soft. You can prepare this topping while proofing the bread dough, and store it in the fridge. Let it stand in room temperature for a while so that it softens to a good piping consistency.

Orange Hot Cross Buns — Before 1st proofing.

Print Recipe

Hot Cross Buns 橙香十字餐包

Soft and fluffy hot cross buns using the straight dough method, with warm scent of spices and orange. Great to go with a cup of hot tea or coffee!

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Proofing Time2 hrs

Total Time1 hr

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Servings: 9 Buns

Ingredients

Bread:

250 g bread flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
25 g brown sugar
3 g instant yeast
2 g salt
50 g milk
60 g orange juice (about half of a medium orange)
1 large egg
25 g butter
55 g raisins, soak and pat dry
Zest of orange, half (optional)

Cross Piping:

35 g butter, softened slightly
15 g sugar
20 g plain flour

Glaze:

1/2 tbsp apricot jam
1/2 tbsp water

Instructions

Place all ingredients, except butter, into bread machine inner pan or mixing bowl. When the dough comes together to a relatively elastic looking ball of dough, add in the butter. I am using Panasonic SD-P104 bread machine, Menu 11. I added the butter after mixing the dough for about 4 mins.
Mix the dough till window pane stage if you are using mixer.
Round the dough and proof for about 60 mins, till the dough is double the original size.
After proofing is complete, dust your working space with some flour. Gently punch out gas and roll into a ball. Rest for 10 mins.
Divide the big ball of dough into 9 portions. Roll each dough into rounds. Place the dough into lined baking pan. Proof for the last time, about 60 mins, till the dough is double the original size.
While proofing, you can make the paste for the piping. Mix all ingredients together with a small whisk. Place into piping bag and store in refrigerator.
Remove the piping bag from refrigerator 5 mins before proofing is complete. Preheat oven to 180C.
Pipe the paste onto the bread dough. Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for about 15 mins. You can check the oven 10 mins into the baking time. If the top is too brown, you can choose to tent the pan with aluminium foil or baking paper.
While the bread is baking, prepare the glaze. Place the jam and water in a saucepan and warm it over low heat. When the jam becomes a thin syrup, off heat and set aside.
When the bread is baked, remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Brush on the glaze while the bread is still hot. Cool completely.

Notes

Makes 9 buns in an 8" pan. Recipe is adapted from Allie.

The size of the egg should be about 50g - 55g without shell.

When you are zesting the orange, do make sure you do not get the white part as it would be bitter. Grate lightly, turning the orange frequently.

If you do not have apricot jam, light colored jam like marmalade should be able to work too. I didn't have apricot jam on hand, so I used this mango-peach jam that I had.