Hot Cross Buns

An Old English nursery rhyme relates to a food still on sale today, Hot Cross Buns.

Hot cross buns were sold by street-sellers, around the nineteenth century, to the cry of "Hot cross buns!"

Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!
One a penny two a penny - Hot cross buns
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons
One a penny two a penny - Hot cross buns

They cost a great deal more than a penny these days but you can still buy packaged buns from supermarkets fairly cheaply. These buns can be warmed under a grill, in a conventional oven or zapped in a microwave but what about making your own though and eating them warm straight from your oven?

​Ingredients

• 12 ounce plain flour
• 1 level teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 level teaspoon each of mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg
• 2 ounce of sugar
• 2 ounce of butter, or margarine, melted
• 1 beaten egg
• 4 ounce currants
• 1 to 2 ounce of candied peel

For the yeast liquid you will need:

• 1 level tablespoon dried yeast
• 1 level teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 pint of warm milk (110 degrees F)
• 1/4 pint of warm water, less 3 tablespoons
• 4 ounce plain flour

Preparation time
25 minutes
Cooking time
15 to 20 minutes
Oven setting
425 degrees F or Gas mark 7

Method

• Blend yeast with mixed warm water, milk, sugar and flour
• Leave until frothy, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes
• Sift together the remaining flour , salt, spices and sugar
• Add the fruit
• Stir the butter and egg into the yeast batter.
• Then add the flour and fruit mix
• Mix all these ingredients well
• Knead the dough onto a floured table, for around 10 minutes
• Divide the dough into 12 even pieces
• Shape them into bun shapes using the palm of one hand to press down hard then ease up
• Place the buns on a floured baking sheet, evenly spaced out, but well apart
• Put the whole lot, tray and all, inside a greased polythene bag and leave to rise.at room temperature, Takes roughly 45 minutes
• Remove the bag
• Make a cross in the surface of each bun by cutting with a sharp knife and breaking the surface
• Bake in a hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes
• Leave to cool slightly on a wire tray when cooked

To Glaze
Boil 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 of water. Stir in 11/2 ounce sugar, boiling for two minutes. Brush the hot buns twice with the glaze.

For a more defined cross on the buns
Place two strips of short crust pastry onto the buns after glazing and before baking

The timing of Easter varies each year. In 2017 it is in April but some years it is early and in March.

Hot cross or Easter buns are already on sale February 2017 and why not?

In some ways they are spiced up teacakes and perfect for a snack warm, cold, grilled or toasted.

Served with lashings of butter when the buns are hot or even some cheese they are so easy to make why not give them a try.