Fruitless Hot Cross Buns Recipe

UPDATE: This is a recipe I posted last year and in the lead up to this Easter it's becoming really popular so I thought I would repost it. This is a great base for whatever kind of hot cross buns you would like - think chocolate, salted caramel or even different kinds of fruit!

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When Easter approaches, I really miss my Australian family. It is normally the time that everyone gets together, enjoys some family time and consumes a big feast hosted by the world best chef - my mum.

I also really miss hot cross buns. In the lead up to Easter in Aus, hot cross buns are kind of a big deal. They come in more varieties than I can think of - original, chocolate, fruitless, mocha, raspberry & white chocolate, nutella, apple & cinnamon....

The difficult thing for me is that I'm not a huge fan of currants so my 'go to' were the fruitless hot cross buns and I would look forward to the 2 months of the year that I could get my hands on them. Living in the UK now I've noticed 2 things. 1 - hot cross buns are sold all year round. Weird. 2 - I can't find fruitless hot cross buns ANYWHERE. I've searched high and low. They don't exist in the UK.

This Easter I decided to make my own and I can't believe it's taken me this long. I've discovered that home baked hot cross buns are the bomb digity. Best I've ever tried. I will never buy a hot cross bun ever again. Home made all the way for me from here on in.

This recipe is fruit free however if you like traditional hot cross buns just add a cup of currants (or other variation of dried fruit). Or if you feel like being creative, try some of my suggestions from paragraph 2.

Fruitless Hot Cross Buns

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 550g white bread flour
• 55g caster sugar
• 1 sachet / 7g dried yeast
• 300 ml milk
• 60g melted butter
• 1 egg (whisked)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons mixed spice
• 65g white bread flour (for cross piping)
• 80ml water (for cross piping)
• 30g caster sugar (for sugar glaze)
• 80ml water (for sugar glaze)

Cooking Directions

1. Mix warm milk, yeast and 15g of the caster sugar in a large jug and set aside in a drought free place for 10 minutes to allow to get frothy.
2. Add the butter and beaten egg to the milk mixture and whisk together. Combine flour, mixed spice, salt and the remaining 40g of sugar into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
3. Kneed mixture on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic (I use my kitchen aid on a low setting). Place the dough in a bowl. Cover with a wet tea towel and put in a warm draught free area until dough doubles in size.
4. Preheat oven to 190c and line a square cake pan with baking paper.
5. Once dough has risen, knead for another 2 minutes. Make sure it's smooth and elastic. Divide into 16 even pieces and shape into balls and place them side by size in a 4x4 grid. Cover with damp tea towel and place in warm draught free spot for 30 minutes until the balls have risen a further 2cm.
6. For the cross piping, add the flour and water together and mix until you form a smooth paste. Place mixture in piping bag and pipe an on-going line down the centre of the rows, both ways to form your crosses.
7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown, checking at 20 minutes. Once cooked transfer to a wire rack.
8. For the sugar glaze, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and boil for a few minutes. until it forms a light syrup. While on the hob mix constantly and don't let it caramelise. Once ready, brush the glaze over the top of the buns.

I like to serve them toasted and buttered with a nice cup of coffee but they are also delicious fresh, at room temperature and buttered.

I hope you all have a Happy Easter. Make sure you enjoy a break from your busy lives, enjoy time with your family. Eat lots of chocolate and of course try out my Easter bun recipe for some fresh hot cross bun goodness this Easter Friday.

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Kat x