These spicy, sweet buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the British Isles. In Elizabethan times it was believed that if you baked these buns on Good Friday they would never go stale - we don't recommend you put that theory to the test and eat them when warm and fresh!
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl or food mixer with a dough hook
- Cling film
- Baking paper
- Baking tray
- Scales
- Saucepans
- Piping bag
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 300g Spelt Flour
- 8g Dried Yeast
- 8g Himalayan Pink Salt
- 120ml Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Zest of 2 (unwaxed) Oranges
- Zest of 1 (unwaxed) Lemon
- 120ml Cool Pure Water
- 2 Organic Free Range Eggs
- 1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg
- 80g Sultanas
- 70g Organic Dried Cranberries
For the crosses
- 4 Tbsp Buckwheat Flour
- 2 Tbsp Cold Water
For the glaze
- 4 Tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk
Method
- Gently warm almond milk with lemon and orange zest in saucepan.
- Gently melt coconut oil in a separate saucepan
- In a mixing bowl put the flours, salt, yeast, coconut sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add eggs.
- Stir together with wooden spoon or with food mixer, using the dough hook and on the lowest setting. Pour in almond milk with the zest and the coconut oil then gradually add water. Mix until fully blended together. The mix may look slightly wet
- Flour the worktop with buckwheat and tip out the dough. Knead for a few minutes until the mix becomes smooth & forms a rough ball shape.
- Using the coconut oil lightly grease a large mixing bowl, place the dough into the centre and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for at least an hour (up to 2 would be fine), until it has nearly doubled in size
- After the first rise, flour the work-surface and knead all the dried fruit into the dough. Round the dough into a smooth ball.
- Return to the bowl, recover and leave to prove for another 1 hour.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead for 2 minutes and then roll into a long loaf shape. Divide into 12 equal sized slices. Cut and roll each slice into a ball.
- Place the dough balls 3cm apart on the baking tray, place in a clean plastic bag, tie end with elastic band. Alternatively cover with cling film until they double in size or for at least 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 200°C
- To make the crosses, mix the flour & water until it makes a paste. Using a piping bag with a small nozzle, pipe across the buns.
- Place buns in the centre of the oven, cook for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the glaze using 4tbsp of unsweetened almond milk warmed with 2 tsp. of coconut sugar.
- Once the hot cross buns are removed from the oven, lightly brush with the glaze.
- Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack, pour a cup of rooibos tea, slice hot cross bun in two, lightly toast if you wish and smear with goats’ butter.
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