A staple for breakfast on Good Friday morning around the world, the origins of the hot cross bun is wrapped in ancient folklore and history. Some believe that the English word bun is derived from the Greek work 'boun', which was a round or crescent-shaped cake used as an offering to the gods. The book Poor Robin’s Amanack published in 1733 was the first to have a record of the bun emblazoned with a cross, an obvious reference to Jesus Christ’s cross.
However, other tales date back to pagan times when the annual spring festival that celebrated the goddess Eostre (from whom Easter gets its name) included serving cakes marked with a cross. In England, it was believed that the buns provide protection from bad luck and were often hung up until the following year's fresh batch was made. While they tended to go mouldy, legend had it that buns baked specifically on Good Friday would never go bad.
But stories aside, not many can deny the irresistible aroma of freshly baked spiced buns wafting through the kitchen in the morning. Here's an easy recipe from head pastry chef Sabine Heinrich at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City to make your Easter weekend extra special.
Perfect Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients:
- 20g yeast
- 300g warm water
- 180g sugar
- 1.2 kg bread flour
- 10g cinnamon
- 10g all spice
- 125g butter
- 80g raisins
- 40g mixed peel
- 1 egg
- 10g salt
For the crosses:
- 100g flour
- 20ml water
Method:
- Prepare the starter by mixing together yeast, warm water and 90g sugar. Cover and leave to prove in a warm area. "You will know when it is ready because a bubbly foam will form on the surface," says Heinrich.
- Except for the salt and fruit, add the yeast starter to all the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough. "This is a small quantity so it is preferable to mix it by hand because there is a high chance of over mixing when using an electric mixer and you'll end up with a dense bun," cautions Heinrich.
- Five minutes prior to the final mixing add the salt. Now add the mixed peel and the raisins to the dough and combine well. According to Heinrich the dough should be soft and have a smooth texture. Allow the dough to rest (prove) for one hour until it doubles in size. Keep it covered to prevent the dough from developing a skin, which will prevent the buns from having a smooth finish. "The proving helps carbon dioxide to release and make the dough lighter and more airy," explains Heinrich.
- Shape the dough into a roll and cut into 30g portions. Form them into round buns and place on a greased baking tray. "Using your palm flatten them a bit and with a dough scraper slice the bun's tops into four quarters, almost touching the bottom," says Heinrich. This will ensure they have a better shape after baking. Once again, allow the buns to prove for 20 minutes.
- Make a paste combining the flour and water. Pipe a cross along the marking of the cut.
- Beat the egg. Brush the bun with the egg wash and then bake in an oven at 200ºC until crisp and golden. Serve hot accompanied by butter and jam.
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