Hot Cross Buns by Allinson
Bring joy to the whole family by baking your own Hot Cross Buns. Simply follow our six-step recipe using Allinson sweet dough. We like to bake a batch to share with friends, neighbours and colleagues (and admit to occasionally making these at other times of year, not just Easter, because they are so tasty).

Prep: 2 HOURS 20 MINS
Bake: 15 MINS
Serves:12
Skill Level:EASY
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 500G Strong white bread flour (we use Allinson)
- 7g East bake yeast (we use Allinson)
- 275ml Milk (whole)
- 50g Butter (unsalted) cold, diced
- 1 Egg (free range) medium, beaten
- 75g Unrefiined golden caster sugar (we use Billington's)
- 1 1/2tsp Salt
FOR THE TOPPINGs
- 2tsp Mixed spice
- 75g Sultanas
- 50g Mixed peel
- 100g Plan white flour (we use Allinson)
- 50g Apricot jam
The Method
STEP 1 MIX
Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the head and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a big bowl. Mix the milk and the beaten egg into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
STEP 2 KNEAD
Tip onto a lightly flour dusted surface and knead for 10 minutes (or use the dough hook attachment on your mixer).
STEP 3 RISE
Lightly grease the mixing bowl with some oil. Put the dough back in, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel to rise until doubled i n size - up to 2 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
STEP 4 SHAPE
Sift the mixed spice over the dough, then knead in with the sultanas and mixed peel. Cut the dough into 12 even pieces (use weighing scales if you like.) Roll each piece into a ball and arrange on a baking tray lined with baking parchment with space between for them to grow.
STEP 5 PROVE
Cover the dough again with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until almost doubled in size again. Preheat your oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan, gas mark 6).
STEP 6 BAKE
Mix the plain flour with a tbsp of water at a time to make a thick paste and spoon into a piping bag (or into a plastic food bag and snip the corner off). Score a cross in the top of each bun with a small sharp, floured knife and pipe crosses on the buns on the cuts you made. Bake the buns for 12-15 minutes or until golden. If you tap the base of a roll it should sound hollow.
STEP 7 GLAZE
Melt the jam in a small pan, then sieve out the lumps of fruit. Brush the apricot glaze over the freshly baked buns and then cool on a wire rack.
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