This traditional South African recipe for hot cross buns uses a variety of dried fruit, such as apricots, sultanas, and dates. They are sweetened with sugar or honey and finished off with a simple sugar paste to give the “hot cross bun” shape. You’ll love how these buns turn out!
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
South African hot cross buns need to be baked at a moderate temperature so the outside isn’t burned but the inside is cooked through. Preheating your oven ahead of time is important for getting the perfect batch!
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine 4½ cups of all-purpose flour, ¾ cup of sugar, two teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ½ teaspoon each of ground ginger, salt and baking powder.
3. Stir in the wet ingredients.
To prepare your hot cross bun batter, beat an egg in a small bowl before stirring it into your dry ingredients along with one cup lukewarm milk and four tablespoons melted butter (or substitute coconut oil). Once everything is combined, fold in one cup of raisins or currants, if desired.
4. Knead and shape the dough into buns.
On a lightly floured surface, knead your dough for about five minutes until it’s smooth and elastic before rolling it out with your hands into a long rope shape that’s about 12 inches wide (be sure to pinch it tightly together). Cut it into 12 even pieces and use your palms to form round shaped balls out of each piece before transferring them onto a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving two inches between each bun so they can expand while they bake!
5. Create a simple syrup glaze and add crosses to each bun with a pastry bag fitted with a thin-tip nozzle tube.
Mix together equal parts lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until completely dissolved then glaze it over each hot cross bun on your baking sheet – you can do this by using a pastry brush or spooning from the pan itself (if you don’t have any lemon juice feel free to experiment with different types of juice or anything sweet/sticky such as honey or even jam!). To complete them, fill up a pastry bag fitted with a thin tip nozzle tube with white icing mix, then pipe crosses onto each bun for added decoration before popping them in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes! Let cool completely before enjoying warm or cold—serve extra icing on the side if desired!
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