4cups(500g)bread flour, spooned and levelled *See Note 1 below
3teaspoonsinstant yeast, *See Note 2 below for Active Dry yeast
1teaspoonfine table salt
1/4cup(55g)white granulated sugar
1teaspooncinnamon
1 teaspoonnutmeg
1teaspoonallspice
1teaspoonmace, *See Note 3 below
1/4cup(55g)butter, at room temperature, cubed
1largeegg, lightly beaten
1 1/4cups(285ml)milk, lukewarm (about 105F)
1/4cup(55g)mixed peel, *See Note 4 below
1/3cup(55g)raisins
1/3cup(30g)sultanas
2Tablespoonscurrants, optional
For the flour crosses:
8Tablespoonsall-purpose flour
4Tablespoonswhite granulated sugar
4Tablespoonswater, room temperature
For the egg wash:
1largeegg
2Tablespoons(30ml)milk
For the sugar glaze:
4Tablespoonswhite granulated sugar
4Tablespoonswater
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Equipment
9x13 or 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet (or 9x13-inch baking pan)
Instructions
Tip! For the best and most accurate results, use the weight measurement and a kitchen scale. If you don't have a scale, be sure that you are measuring your flour with the spoon and level method, to avoid adding too much flour.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, instant yeast, salt, sugar and spices.
With a stand mixer fitted with the kneading hook, stir together the dry ingredients briefly. Add the lukewarm milk, room-temperature cubed butter and the egg. Using Speed 2 on the mixer, mix together until the flour is mixed in, then continue to knead on Speed 2 for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, measure out the raisins and sultanas and place them into a small bowl. Cover with hot water and let stand while the dough kneads.
When the dough has kneaded for 7 minutes, drain the raisins and sultanas and pat dry with a paper towel. Add them to the bowl with the dough. Add the mixed peel to the bowl as well. Add 1 Tablespoon of flour to the bowl.
With the mixer on Speed 2, knead in the raisins and peel for 3 minutes.
The finished dough should be very moist and a bit sticky. It should clean the bowl and wrap the dough hook but will have a sticky bit of dough on the bottom of the bowl a couple of inches in diameter. If your dough is stickier than that, add a tiny bit more flour to the bowl and knead in until it reaches that point.
Remove the dough to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 60-75 minutes.
Prepare a 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet or a 9x13-inch rimmed baking sheet or baking pan (preferably metal) and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled, remove it to a work surface and gently deflate. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Tip! I like to weigh the total dough ball, and then divide by 12 to get a weight for each bun. Typically, this is in the 90-95g range for me.
Form each piece of dough into a ball, by pinching in the sides of the dough to form a tight ball. Flip it over with the pinched side down, cup your hand over the ball and roll on the work surface to seal. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough, placing them onto the baking sheet as far apart as possible.
Spray a large piece of plastic wrap and place it over the buns, sprayed side down. Allow the buns to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg and milk together with a fork. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour and sugar for the flour crosses. Add the water and stir together until you have a smooth paste. Transfer the paste to a disposable piping bag or a plastic sandwich-type storage bag. Set aside, ensuring that the paste is well-covered to prevent drying out.
Preheat the oven to 390F (non-convection). If your oven doesn't allow for that level of specificity, set it to 400F and reduce the baking time slightly.
When the buns have doubled in size, use a pastry brush to brush the buns with the egg wash. Tip! If the buns have joined together as they rose, don't try to separate them or you may deflate them. Leave them connected. Be sure to brush the buns completely or they may look patchy when baked.
To pipe the crosses onto the buns, snip the tip of the piping bag or the corner of the sandwich bag so the hole is about 1/4-inch in diameter (5-6ml). Pipe the crosses onto each bun, starting the cross about half an inch from the bottom of the buns.
Place the buns into the oven and bake, rotating the baking pan front to back halfway through baking. For buns on a 10x15-inch pan, bake until deep golden and the buns reach an internal temperature of 190F when tested with an instant-read thermometer, about 16-20 minutes. For buns baked on a 9x13-inch pan, baking time will be a bit longer as the buns will be taller, about 20-25 minutes.
While the buns are baking, make the sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a 1-cup measuring cup and microwaving for 45-60 seconds. You can also bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Set aside.
Remove the buns from the oven and immediately brush the top of the buns with the sugar syrup. Transfer the buns on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool completely. Tip! If the buns are connected, avoid separating them until they are completely cooled, as separating and releasing the steam in the buns may make the buns gummy inside.
Allow the buns to cool completely then transfer to an air-tight container. Hot cross buns are best enjoyed within 24 hours of baking. If you can't eat them all up or if you are making them ahead, wrap them well and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Enjoy the hot cross buns, split with butter or split and toasted with butter.
Notes
Note 1: Bread flour is recommended for the best texture. If you only have all-purpose flour, it will work, with a compromise in texture. You may also need to use a bit more all-purpose flour to bring the dough together.Note 2: Active dry yeast must be proofed in a liquid to activate it. In this case, use the lukewarm milk. Be sure the milk is no warmer than 105F, then add the Active Dry yeast. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes before adding to the bowl.Note 3: Mace is not a common spice, so if you don't have it on hand, simply add a bit more of the other 3 spices.Note 4: Mixed fruit peel, also known as candied fruit peel, is usually available in the baking aisle or from bulk food stores. Peel adds a lovely citrus flavour to the buns. If you don't have or don't enjoy peel, you can omit and add an equal amount of additional raisins instead.These buns are pleasantly but not heavily spiced. If you prefer a more heavily spice bun, you can increase the amount of spices, but keep in mind that more spices will probably slow down the rise, so expect that the rising times will be longer.Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe. You'll also find step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.