This time next week I hope to be getting ready to make my first batch of hot cross buns. As a child we never had them until Good Friday and there’s something nice about sticking to that – as long as you can resist the lure of cinnamon-scented butter wafting out of every shop door.
For ages I made Nigella’s hot cross buns from Feast – her own photo of them makes them look less than perfect and mine were more or less the same, as exhibited by this batch…
(In my defence, I did make these in France, where I only had a very vague handle on the sort of yeast I was using and a very temperamental oven. They did taste good!)
Last year I made Dan Lepard’s Spiced Stout Buns, which were very, very good – and obviously I’ve become a lot more adept….
But what am I going to make this year? In the past I’ve also made Delia Smith’s recipe and dabbled with a few Alison Holst versions. I’m tempted to go back to Dan’s buns, especially as we have a bottle of stout in the cupboard, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s another one out there that might be better.
What’s your favourite hot cross bun recipe? If you’ve got some Easter inspiration on your blog – be it buns, bread, bagels, muffins, whatever – add it in the linky list below. Otherwise, if you’ve got any traditional HCB advice, let me know in the comments.
I am a real traditionalist, and make the same HCBs that my Mum has been making for 40-odd years – the recipe originally came from a booklet free with McDougall's flour. They're definitely not revoluntionary, but they are pretty damn good. http://thisupsidedownlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/mums-hot-cross-buns.html
I made HCBs last year and although they were quite nice I think I'm more in the eating than making camp when all is said and done! Not sure if I'll have time to make any this year but this recipe looks good. http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/hot_cross_buns.htm
I was very successful the first year I made them but have been less so since… I added orange chocolate to mine last year which was incredible… no help at all am I ?
Ugh, it would be handy if I could type properly before adding my link (derr "chross") … but I've made HCB for the first time this year and the choc chip ones are my fave. I do have Nigella's Feast book so I should go try hers.
I've only ever used the recipe from the River Cottage bread handbook, although I add more spices (notably clove but also a little ground ginger) and about double the fruit. I did try using chai tea in place of the water and milk but the result was insipid and I went back to the ordinary kind.
Made mine yesterday! Little and Fridays recipe is by far the best recipe I have ever used (home made hot cross buns seems to be a tradition now, and im constantly on the hunt for the best recipe!!). http://www.gatherandhunt.co.nz/Stories/buns-hot-cross-variety. I soaked the fruit first with the peel of orange, and infused the milk with orange zest too!
I didn't know there was a Little & Fridays one. Thanks for the tip!
i'm dreadful at baking with yeast, so … i buy them. and i hold out and eat them ONLY at easter time – which may sound weird, but they have been in the shops here for months (ridiculous). i like old fashioned fruity, spicy ones – not chocolate. traditional all the way.
I agree – there's enough chocolate at Easter without it going in the HCBs as well!
THANKS so much Lucy for adding my Hot Cross Bun Brioche recipe, and I have to say that my recipe is a family recipe and very easy to make, so maybe have a go at them? Karen xxx