Four Fabulous Hot Cross Bun Recipes for Easter

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Grease a round 25cm ovenproof baking dish. Stand each hot cross bun on its side and using a sharp knife slice into one centimetre- thick slices before spreading one side of each slice with 50g of the butter. Arrange some of the slices around the edge of the baking dish so that they overlap slightly.

Next add a layer of pear slices around the buns, overlapping slightly. Continue layering the bun slices and pear around the dish until you finish in the centre. Drain the cherries and scatter half the jar evenly over the buns, using your fingers to push them in between the layers.

Beat the eggs, milk, cream and caster sugar in a large bowl then pour evenly over the bun slices and leave to absorb for 15 minutes. Place the dish in a large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish. Bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes or until egg mixture is just set. Set aside for five minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, empty half a jar of stem ginger and its syrup into a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into a pan over a high heat and bring to the boil until thickened before adding the remaining butter and stirring until melted. Pour syrup over the bun slices then leave for a further five to 10 minutes before serving.

Tip – Use a mandolin to achieve enviably thin slices of pear for your rosette layering.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix in the yeast and the salt.

In a saucepan add the butter and milk and allow it to melt over a gentle heat, you want the butter to melt and the mixture to be lukewarm in temperature.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly pour half the butter and milk mixture. Mix this together and then add the beaten egg. Mix this again, followed by the remaining butter and milk mixture. Mix with your hands to form a soft dough.

Either tip this onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic.

Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough into it. Cover with clingfilm and allow it to prove for one hour in a warm place, or until it has doubled in size.

After an hour, remove the clingfilm and knock the air out of the dough. Tip it onto a lightly floured surface and add the sultanas and citrus peel by stretching and folding the dough to incorporate, making sure the fruit is evenly distributed throughout. Now divide the dough into 12 equal size balls. Shape them by rolling between your palm and the surface so they are smooth and even. Place the balls onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and space them with roughly two to three-centimetre gap between them.

Loosely cover the tray with clingfilm and leave again in a warm place for 45–60 minutes until they have doubled in size again. They should be puffed up and just touching. Preheat the oven to 200C.

Make the flour mixture by mixing together the plain flour, olive oil and water. Beat together until it forms a smooth paste and then transfer into a piping bag.

Once the buns have proved and risen, carefully remove the clingfilm. Pipe the crosses across the top. Then place into the middle of the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Remove from the oven and brush the tops with golden syrup so they are glistening. Then set aside to cool slightly before serving. These buns are best served toasted with some butter spread on and a sprinkling of Maldon Salt.

In a small saucepan, heat together the butter and milk gently until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Set aside to cool down.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, mixed spice, Maldon Salt and yeast. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly pour half the butter and milk mixture. Mix this together and then add the beaten egg. Now, begin mixing with your hands to form a soft dough.

Either tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic.

In a separate bowl, lightly oil the inside and place the dough into it. Cover with clingfilm and allow it to prove for one hour in a warm place, or until it has doubled in size. After one hour of proving, remove the clingfilm and knock the air out of the dough.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and add the chopped chocolate, raisins and citrus peel by stretching and folding the dough to incorporate, making sure the fruit is evenly distributed throughout.

Now divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Shape them by rolling between your palm and the surface so they are smooth and even. Place the balls onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and space them with roughly two to three-centimetre gap between them.

Loosely cover the tray with clingfilm and leave again in a warm place for 45–60 minutes until they have doubled in size again. They should be puffed up and just touching. Preheat the oven to 200C.

Make the flour mixture by mixing together the plain flour, olive oil and water. Beat together until it forms a smooth paste and then transfer into a piping bag. Once the buns have proved and risen, carefully remove the clingfilm. Pipe the crosses across the top of the buns. Then place into the middle of the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Remove from the oven and brush the tops with golden syrup so they are glistening and then sprinkle with Maldon Salt. These buns are best served slightly warm so the chocolate chunks are oozy and melted.

Put the warm milk, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate (the mix will go a bit frothy).

Add the flours, salt, spices and the two beaten eggs to the yeast mixture, then bring together with a wooden spoon or mix on a low speed until the mixture begins to come together into a slightly sticky dough.

If making by hand, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter, piece by piece, until combined. If making in a stand mixer, turn up to medium and add the butter in the same way. Either way, knead for five to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Add the cheese and chillies, then knead until evenly incorporated. Lightly grease the bowl, return the dough to it, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature for one to two hours until doubled in size.