Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday.

Tanushka D'Silva -- about who you can read here -- shares her precise recipe for beautiful baked buns with a rounded, glazed crust with the cross on top.

Make them for the Easter season or simply bake them for breakfast.

Hot Cross Buns&

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 2 ½ cups maida or all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp salt or less

Wet ingredients

• 1½ tsp instant yeast
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 3/8 cup or 6 tbsp sugar (decrease for less sweet buns)
• 1 egg, optional
• 1 egg beaten for the egg wash, optional
• 250 ml warm milk
• ¼ tsp vanilla essence
• ½ cup black raisins
• Stand mixer, optional

For the cross

• 2 tbsp flour
• Water
• Piping bag

Pre- and post baking

• 1-2 tsp oil
• Cling wrap
• 1 tbsp honey or jam + 1 tbsp hot water

Method

• In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Mix in another bowl all the wet ingredients together, except the raisins.
• Add the mixed wet ingredients to the dry mixture.
  Use a stand mixer or your hands to knead the mixture into a soft dough.
  Place the dough in a bowl and sprinkle a little oil over it.
  Cover the bowl with a cling wrap or a wet cloth and set aside for an hour.
  The dough will double in size.
  Punch it to remove excess air and knead again.
  Flatten the dough and add the raisins.
  Knead again and make small balls, each weighing 120-130 gm.
  Roll the balls and flatten them a little on top.
  Place them on the tray and let it proof in a warm place for an hour.
• When the buns double in size, preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 200°C.
  Gently apply the egg wash all over buns with a brush.
• In a bowl add 2 tbsp flour and some water to make a thick paste.
  Put it in a piping bag and make a cross on each bun.
• Bake the buns for 20 minutes at 180°C.
  Add 1 tsp of hot water to the honey or jam to make a smooth runny mix.
  After the buns come out of the oven, brush the surface of the buns with the jam/honey paste and serve.

Note: For gluten-free buns, use gluten-free flour, made in India by several brands and increase the yeast by a teaspoon.

For eggless buns, skip the egg and the egg wash and to make them vegan, use almond milk and vegan butter, available in online stores.

Those following a diabetic diet or a low-cal regimen, replace the maida with wholemeal flour, increase the yeast by 1 tsp, and skip the raisins and the jam/honey wash.

Tanushka D'Silva is a self-taught baker and founder of the House of Poder.

You can follow her on Instagram @houseofpoder for more recipes or if you live in Mumbai, Whatsapp her on 9920936432 to place your orders.

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