Not for all the Colomba in Italy would we miss out on Hot Cross Buns at Easter. And these, made with olive oil, are a real treat. It may take a little longer than just nipping to the store, but you won't regret it when you try these soft, sweet, spicy, olive oil, hot cross buns. Plus, much like our famous olive oil panettone at Christmas, hot cross buns made with olive oil mean they are easier to digest and that little bit better for you.
Prep Time 15 Minutes
Serves 12
Cook Time 15 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
For the Buns:
- 3 ¼ cups (390g) flour
- 5g active dried yeast
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 2 eggs
- Zest of an orange
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- A pinch of salt
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups mixed dried fruit
- ½ cup mixed peel
For the Oven Glaze:
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 teaspoon milk
For the Cross:
- 200g flour
For the Icing:
- 230g icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoons milk
For the Sticky Glaze:
- Hot water
- A few spoons of honey, apricot jam, or sugar
Method
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl. Mix through the yeast, honey, milk, eggs, orange zest, salt, and spices until all combined.
- Slowly add the olive oil until it’s all mixed in, then stir in the dried fruit and mixed peel.
- Pour out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. This will take roughly 6-7 minutes.
- Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with a slightly damp tea towel. Leave in a warm room for 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size.
- Pour out onto a floured surface and knead again for a couple of minutes.
- Divide into 12 equal balls, shaping them in your hands into smooth buns, and arrange them equally on a baking tray.
- Cover again and leave to rise until they double their size.
- While they are proving, prepare the mixture for the crosses.
- Whisk together the flour, icing sugar, milk, and olive oil, and then spoon this into a piping bag and pipe crosses onto the risen buns.
- Whisk the egg and milk together for the glaze and brush over each bun.
- Bake the buns in a preheated oven at 425F/ 220C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- While they bake, make a sticky glaze. Mix a little honey, apricot jam, or sugar into a small quantity of warm water, and as soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them with the glaze for lovely sticky, hot, fresh buns.
Nudo tip: If you love the citrus flavours in hot cross buns, use mandarin oil instead of the extra virgin to enhance the flavour.