Home Made Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns was something you only found around Easter time.. but now you can enjoy them all year round. Why not make your own? Amazing Chef Kyle Norris from the Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga shares his secret recipe ... try it if you dare..

What you will need:



• 50g sugar

• 7g sachet dried yeast

• 450g flour

• 2 tsp mixed spice

• 100g mixed dried fruit (currants, sour cherries, sultanas)

• 25g chopped mixed peel

• Zest of 1 orange

• 1 egg, beaten

• 50g butter, melted

• 50ml milk, warmed



For the Decoration

• 100g flour mixed with about 50ml water to make a dough, or 100g ready-made short crust pastry



For the Sticky glaze

• 2 tbsp sugar

• Juice of 1 orange

• 1 egg, beaten



Mix 1 teaspoon of the sugar with the yeast and 150ml tepid water in a jug until frothy.

Sift the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and the mixed spice into a large bowl, then add the dried fruit, peel, orange zest and remaining sugar. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture, then add the beaten egg, melted butter and 40ml warmed milk. Using a fork or wooden spoon, stir in a circular motion until you have a dough. Add a little more milk if the dough is too dry.

Place the dough on a clean surface dusted with flour and knead until it is smooth and glossy, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a large mixing bowl and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to prove until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour, then knock it back and knead again to its original size. Divide the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces and shape into round buns. Place on a lightly greased baking tray, spaced well apart. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise again until doubled in size, about 35–40 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C. For the decoration, place the dough or short crust pastry on a clean surface dusted with flour and roll into a sausage about 1cm thick. Cut the sausage in half, and cut each half into 6 pieces. Roll out each piece again to make 2 thinner, 5mm strips of about 8cm long. You should have 24 strips in total. Brush the risen buns with the beaten egg and lay the dough strips on top in the shape of a cross. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile for the glaze, place the sugar and juice in a pan and gently heat until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is bubbling.

Brush the buns with the glaze and eat immediately, or cool and serve toasted