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The best tear & share hot cross buns
Martha Collison's hot cross bun recipe is close to the classic version featuring dried fruits and spices, but there are alternatives (see Cook's tip). These are created to tear and share, but use the larger tin size mentioned in the recipe for conventional separate ones.
Please note that while we take every care to ensure the product and recipe information displayed on our website is correct, in the event that a product is unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution may be given. This may affect the nutrition and allergen information, therefore if you have any allergy or intolerance, please ensure you have reviewed the product label to ensure it is suitable for you to consume.
Ingredients
50g mixed peel
150g sultanas
50ml Earl Grey tea, strong and hot
50g unsalted butter
200ml whole milk, plus extra if needed
1 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Egg
600g strong white bread flour, plus extra for shaping
80g caster sugar
10g salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
10g fast action yeast
1 orange, scrubbed, zest
Vegetable oil, for greasing
30g plain flour
2 tbsp clear honey
Method
Put the mixed peel and sultanas into a small
bowl, then pour over the tea and leave to
soak for 15 minutes. Melt the butter in a pan,
then remove from the heat and add the milk
and 125ml warm water. Beat in the egg, then
set aside.
Put the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice.
Mix together, then add the yeast and orange
zest. Drain the sultanas and mixed peel (discard
the liquid) and add to the bowl. Using the
dough hook on medium speed, slowly pour
the milk mixture in and knead for 4-5 minutes,
or until a smooth, elastic dough forms. You may
not need all the liquid, or you might need a
splash more milk to clean any floury patches
in the bowl. The dough will be sticky, but don’t
be tempted to add extra flour at this stage.
When the dough feels soft and silky, place
it in a lightly oiled, covered bowl and leave to
rise in a warm place (near
the boiler, next to the oven or in an airing
cupboard) for 1-2 hours, or
until almost doubled in size. Line a baking tray
with baking parchment – the maximum size of
the tray should be 30x23cm, but something
slightly smaller is preferable so they join
together as they bake.
Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured
work surface and fold it over itself to knock out any large pockets of air. Divide the dough into
12 even pieces and, using a cupped hand, roll
into balls. Evenly space the dough on the
prepared baking tray, setting them about 2cm
apart. Cover loosely and leave for 1 hour, or
until the buns are larger. Just before baking,
preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
For the crosses, mix the 30g plain flour
with 2-2½ tbsp water to make a loose paste.
Transfer the paste to a piping bag, then pipe
a cross shape over each bun and bake for
15-20 minutes, until golden brown all over. Use
a pastry brush to paint the honey over the tops
while the buns are still hot. Serve warm or cold
– they’re delicious toasted too.
Cook’s tip
For variations, you can try chocolate orange, by replacing the sultanas (and tea) with 150g dark chocolate chips and grate in the zest of an extra orange to increase the citrus flavour. Brush with warmed fine-cut marmalade instead of honey. Another alternative is pecan caramel. Replace the mixed peel, sultanas and tea with 100g chopped pecan nuts and 100g finely chopped Werther’s Original Butter Candies. Use light brown soft sugar instead of caster sugar. Brush with golden syrup or salted caramel sauce instead of honey.
Nutritional
Typical values per item when made using specific products in recipe
Energy
1,280kJ/ 303kcals
Fat
5.3g
Saturated Fat
2.9g
Carbohydrates
55g
Sugars
18g
Fibre
3.4g
Protein
7.7g
Salt
1g
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