Overnight Hot Cross Buns
I just LOVE hot cross buns
The traditional ones, with lots of mixed dried fruit and spices. No choc-chip buns for me!
They are my favourite thing to have for breakfast at this time of the year
But how do you get them fresh and hot when you wake up in the morning?
You start by making the buns the night before, and pop them in the fridge overnight…
the night before, hot cross buns about to go into the fridge
The next morning, take them out and place them somewhere warm to allow them to prove
I used my steamer oven, 38 degrees, 30% humidity
Go for a walk while they do their ‘thing’ – that’s what I did!
buns that have been proving for 50 mins, ready for their crosses….
Pipe the crosses on them, bake at 190 degrees for 20 mins…
gorgeous fresh, hot, hot cross buns
And wholla….piping hot cross buns!
I glazed mine with a little sugar syrup…
- 3 tablespoons mixed (citrus) peel
- 1 tablespoon linseeds
- 1 cup your choice of milk, plus a little extra as needed
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 70 grams soft butter, plus a little extra
- 18 grams dry yeast
- 250 grams wholemeal bakers flour
- 250 grams white spelt or bakers flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 egg
- 300 grams your choice of dried fruit, including cranberries, apricots and figs (I used Honest to Goodness Mixed Dried fruit leftover from Christmas!)
- for the crosses: 20 g plain flour, ¼ teaspoon oil, 25 g water
- Start this the night before
- Put the mixed peel and linseeds in a food processor and blend until finely chopped (thermomix, 10 seconds, speed 9)
- If using a themomix, add the milk, sugar and butter to the bowl and cook at 50 degrees, speed 2 for 2 minutes
- Otherwise, heat milk in the microwave for about 45 seconds and pour into the food processor bowl along with the sugar and butter
- Add the yeast and blend gently to combine
- Set aside while you get the flour and spices together
- Sift the flour, spices and salt together into a large bowl
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg
- Add flour and egg to food processor/thermomix and blitz gently to combine (thermomix 7 seconds, speed 7). Add a little extra milk as necessary to make a soft, sticky dough
- If using the thermomix - Set dial to closed lid position and knead for 4 minutes on Interval setting
- Otherwise, tip dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic
- Lightly grease a clean large bowl with a little oil or butter, add the dough and turn to coat the dough in the oil/butter.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size
- Line a large oven tray with non-stick baking paper.
- When ready, punch the centre of the dough down with your fist and turn onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead for 2-3 minutes or until smooth
- Press out to a rectangular shape about 1 cm thick
- Sprinkle with the mixed fruit and roll up, pressing the edges together a bit to stop the fruit from falling out
- Cut the dough into 16 equal portions.
- Roll each portion into a ball, encasing the fruit inside and place onto the tray
- Cover with a slightly damp tea towel or lightly oiled glad wrap and place in the fridge overnight
- The next morning -
- Remove cold angry buns from the fridge and leave to prove in a warm place for 45-60 minutes
- Preheat oven to 190°C
- Make the flour paste by combining the extra flour, oil and water in a bowl and mix until smooth
- Spoon into a small plastic bag
- When ready, snip a small hole in the corner of the flour paste bag and pipe crosses on the tops of the buns
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until cooked through and sounding hollow on the base when tapped
- Glaze with marmalade or sugar syrup as you like
- Enjoy!
I used white spelt flour as that’s what I had in the cupboard! But regular white wheat flour is fine to use
Here’s a great video from BBC good food showing how to make hot cross buns
Trust me, these buns are definitely worth the effort!
Honest to Goodness Mixed Dried Fruit
Helped make my hot-cross-bun-making easier!! 🙂
