Hot cross buns

Ingredients

• 500 g (about 4 cups) bread flour – contains wheat or gluten
• 2 tsp instant yeast, one 7 g sachet
• 1 tsp salt
• 50 g (about ¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon, or mixed spice
• 250 ml (about 1 cup) milk – contains milk
• 50 g (about 4 tbsp) butter, melted – contains milk
• 1 large egg – contains eggs
• 100 g (about ¾ cup) raisins – contains sulfites
• 75 g (about ½ cup) all-purpose flour, for the crosses – contains wheat or gluten
• 5 tbsp water, for the crosses
• 2 tbsp runny honey, to glaze

Cup measures are approximate – weighing is more accurate. Need a different amount? Use the recipe finder to change the servings.

Equipment

• kitchen scale
• liquid measuring cup
• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• clean dish towel
• 2 baking sheets
• parchment paper
• small bowl
• zip-top bag
• scissors
• pastry brush
• oven mitts
• cooling rack

Method

1. Put the flour in the bowl. Add the yeast on one side and the salt on the other (salt touching yeast slows it down), then mix in the sugar and cinnamon.
2. An adult warms the milk in the microwave until just hand-warm – too hot and it kills the yeast.
3. Add the milk, melted butter and egg (check for shell) and mix to a soft, sticky dough. Wash your hands.
4. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and stretchy. (10 min)
5. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with the dish towel and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size. (1 hr)
6. Knead in the raisins, divide the dough into 12 and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Space them out on the lined trays.
7. Cover and leave to rise again until puffy. (40 min)
8. An adult turns the oven on to 425 °F (220 °C).
9. Mix the all-purpose flour and water to a thick paste, spoon it into the zip-top bag, snip off a corner and pipe a cross over each bun.
10. An adult puts the baking sheets in the oven. Bake until golden brown – a bun sounds hollow when tapped underneath. (18 min)
11. An adult warms the honey and brushes it over the hot buns. Cool on the rack.