One of our favourite Easter food icons is the humble hot cross bun and it doesn’t get better than when they’re homemade! So, whether you’re hosting an Easter event or just having a few friends around, we thought we’d show you how to make the perfect hot cross bun.
What Are Hot Cross Buns?
If you’re new to the idea of hot cross buns or aren’t too sure what they are, let us clear things up. Mostly, it’s a sweet, spiced bun, not unlike the consistency of soft bread, with currants and raisins. Lara Mason, in the Oxford Companion to Food, describes them as being made from "rich yeast dough of flour, milk, sugar, butter, eggs, currants and spices". All delicious stuff.
There’s plenty of different styles and recipes, Nigella’s traditional recipe combines moisture and softness to give a sweet finish. There are more varied editions, like Dan Lepard’s “spiced stout hot cross buns” – if you’re looking for a traditional bun with a little kick, these are for you.
A Rich Bun, for Festivities Only
A mixture of sweet and spice, the perfect hot cross bun deserves to be presented as a rich golden dough laden with fruit. Mouth-watering.