Hot Cross Bun (just one)
Hot Cross Bun (just one)
One a penny, one a penny
Hot Cross Bun (just one)
My friend Dot made 288 hot cross buns this Easter.
Maude’s made at least 100.
The Spice Girl told me yesterday that she’s been baking two to three dozen a couple of times a week. And all my UK baking friends have been at it with gusto.
Penny and Alex have both made them, using my recipe from last year.
It seems the only person who hasn’t been madly baking hot cross buns is moi. And it’s not because I don’t love them, but rather that life has been a little hectic, and this year I simply ran out of oomph.
So yesterday, being Easter Sunday, I decided to make one. Just one. But it was a BIG hot cross bun, baked in an 18cm (7″) square cake tin.
I used my tried and tested bun recipe (the original post is here) and instead of shaping the risen dough into a dozen small rolls, I made one giant ball and let it rise in a parchment lined cake tin. As it was quite warm in my kitchen yesterday, the dough took only half an hour to double in size, before being piped with a large cross and baked at 200C for 15 minutes, followed by an additional 15 minutes at 175C.
I coated the finished “big bun” with a milk glaze (part of the original recipe) and allowed it to cool before slicing and serving with tea.
Hot Cross Bun (just one)…Hot Cross Bun (just one)…
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Ha ha I love the giant HCB!
They disappear so fast around here. A big four and a half dozen for Easter morning. After all the distribution to friends and neighbours there are only 6 left.
Four and a half dozen!! You’re far more industrious than I.. :)
That’s one huge warm angry rabbit ! Great stuff!
!While we are counting I made 21 DL spice and stout buns – this year’s top favourite, (like sniffing the overnight mix first thing in the morning :) 13 choc chip hot cross buns and I think 12 ordinary ones.
Not that many compared to you guys!
Hahaha…heaps compared to me though, Jo. I just made one. LOL!
Hope you had a lovely weekend! :)
Haha I love it! I tend to fall in love with giant sized and miniature sized things of anything and this is no exception. Hope you’re having a fantastic Easter! :D
Thanks Lorraine – this one was bigger than my head! :) Are you going to the Easter Show this year? I’m not going to make it, and was hoping to go vicariously through your blog… :D
That looks great Celia. I love the generous crossing as well!! This year I’ve done so many hot-x-buns (including a dozen in the foreign surrounds of my sister’s kitchen yesterday) and they’ve been fun and rewarding but I might spare abit of dividing and shaping and go for a couple of “family buns” like yours next year. Thankyou.
Craig
That’s brilliant! Hahaha. Hot cross buns are just not something they do here in the US. You have inspired me. I think they may be the project of the day for me…. now to decide… big or little? Little or big?
Wow, Celia that looks fantastic!!! And just think, you could eat the whole thing and legitimately say you’d only had one hot cross bun this year!
I only made one batch this year (well, I only ever make one batch) but I really need to find a good glaze recipe – it makes them look so much better.
Thanks guys!
Craig, it’s the shaping that put me off this year – normally I’m up for it, but just not this year. The “family bun”, as you aptly call it, worked well – we’ve been cutting slices off it and toasting them, like raisin toast. :)
Dan, I’m surprised it’s not big in the US! If you can’t find mixed spice, I think you could use what the Americans call pumpkin pie spice…
C, I like the milk glaze, but it’s quite sweet – like the top of a Krispy Kreme donut. I remember my friend Christina last year glazed hers with apple jelly, which would be very nice..
Celia
i must be the only person who never tasted one. what sort of dough is it? by the looks of it, close to challah? or babka? although there’s a lot less butter and eggs than either of those. and i imagined the cross is made of pastry cream or curd, i was terribly dissapointed to read it’s just flour and water.
This is kind of funny, because my HCB recipe is actually a recipe for Italian panettone, which I make into buns instead of one big loaf!
Dana, it’s like a sweet fruit bun. Of course, I’ve never had challah or babka.. Sorry to disappoint re the topping, it’s purely decorative! :)
Hypnoid, that IS funny! Panettone buns must be wonderful!