Bread Ahead Bakery's Hot Cross Buns

Bread Ahead, the infamous bakery known to many Londoners has graced us with their classic Hot Cross Bun Recipe. They only produce them for one month over the Easter period but we won't blame you if these become an all year round bake after trying!

Prep Time
3 Hours(incl. proving)
Cook Time
16 Minutes

Bread Ahead Bakery

Want to see more of their bakes? Check out their Instagram

Servings

THE BUNS

  • 250g strong white bread flour 250g strong white bread flour
  • 3g salt 3g salt
  • 40g Tate & Lyle Pure Cane Caster Sugar 40g Tate & Lyle Pure Cane Caster Sugar
  • 30g unsalted butter, softened and diced 30g unsalted butter, softened and diced
  • 8g fresh yeast (4 dried yeast) 8g fresh yeast (4 dried yeast)
  • 140g full fat milk 140g full fat milk
  • 2g mixed spice 2g mixed spice
  • 3g nutmeg 3g nutmeg
  • 40g sultanas 40g sultanas
  • 25g mixed peel 25g mixed peel

THE CROSS

  • 100g strong white flour 100g strong white flour
  • 120g water 120g water
  • a pinch of fine sea salt a pinch of fine sea salt

THE GLAZE

  • 100g Tate & Lyle Pure Cane Light Brown Sugar 100g Tate & Lyle Pure Cane Light Brown Sugar
  • 20g lemon juice 20g lemon juice
  • 80g water 80g water

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

 

  1. Place the flour, salt sugar and butter into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter to form a sandy consistency.

 

  1. Mix the yeast and milk together until the yeast has dissolved, then add to the dry ingredients. Use your hand or a dough scraper to bring the ingredients together into a rough dough. Ensure all of the ingredients have come together, there should be no pockets of flour or butter left.

 

  1. Place the dough on the work surface and knead. Hold onto the dough with one hand and with the other hand stretch and fold for around 5 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth.

 

  1. Stretch out the dough into a pizza shape and add your fruit combination and spices in the centre, fold over into a Cornish pasty shape covering your fruit.                    

 

  1. Gently start to roll and fold the dough until the fruits are evenly distributed. Once distributed, place the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth/plate or shower cap and leave at room temperature for one hour or until doubled in size.

 

  1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

 

  1. Once proved, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 65g pieces.

 

  1. Roll each one into a smooth ball and place on the baking tray, leave plenty of room as they will spread out. Cover with a damp cloth and leave at room temperature to double in size.

 

  1. While the buns are proving, make the cross mixture and the glaze.

 

  1. Mix together the flour, salt and 120g water until you have a smooth paste, pour into a piping bag with a 4mm plain nozzle.

 

  1. In a small pan place the sugar, lemon juice and 80g water, bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar or about 5 minutes.

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180ºC/Gas 5.

 

  1. Once the buns have proved, pipe a cross on the top of each one and bake for 16 minutes, until golden brown.

 

  1. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. After 2 minutes, brush with the bun glaze.

 

  1. Serve warm with plenty of butter.