Apple and Cinnamon, Strawberry and Cranberry Hot Cross Buns

This year I made hot cross buns for the first time!  However I could not decide – yep, first time making them and didn’t want to try a boring old ones (although that was the original plan) but when I thought of all the amazing options I had to try something else!  Unfortunately I could not make the decision, torn between Very Berry or Apple and Cinnamon.

I decided to split the batch and make them both!  They were amazing, and I’m going to make them both again tomorrow – yep Easter may be over, but I can’t resist!

The Apple and Cinnamon were delicious, and gave gorgeous flavours, the difference from shop bought were unbelievable.  However, the Very Berry aka Strawberry and Cranberry Hot Cross Buns were amazing.  The strawberry was like a little bit of jam in the middle!  You really do have to try these!
Obviously if you want to make just one then double the flavour ingredients.

Basic Hot Cross Bun Dough Recipe

• 500g strong white flour
• 5g salt
• 75g caster sugar
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 40g butter, softened
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 120ml warm whole milk
• 120ml cool water

In a large mixing bowl put in the flour, add the salt and sugar to one side and the yeast to the other.  Add the butter, eggs, milk and half the water and gently mix.  Add the water a little at a time until all the crumbs have been picked up from the bowl.  The dough will stick to your hands, but you should have a clean bowl (if the dough sticks to the bowl, it is too wet). 
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes.  It will become a smooth ball.
Put the dough in a lightly oiled or floured bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for an hour.
When the dough is ready, weigh and divide into 2.

Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

50g Sultans soaked in Apple Juice then drained
¾ apple peeled, cored and chopped into cubes – bite size – about 3/4cm
Zest of ½ an orange
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice

Strawberry and Cranberry Hot Cross Buns

60g dried Strawberries (not freeze dried) chopped (available in most supermarkets)
50g dried Cranberries
Zest of ½ an orange
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
 ¼ apple peeled, cored and chopped

On a lightly floured surface, place the dough.  Scatter the ingredients for either flavour.  Fold in a few times, until you are able to knead the ingredients to evenly spread.  Place back in the bowl, and leave to rise again – about 1 hour.

Repeat this for the other flavour if splitting the batch.

NB – this can get quite wet and soggy, I just kneaded on a little more flour.  When it came to shaping into balls, I floured my hands before to not get into a sticky mess.

Once risen, roll the dough into a cylinder so you are able to cut 6 circles of equal size (or weigh, they are about 100g each)
Roll into balls.  Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, with a couple of cm between each one.  Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another hour.
Heat the oven to 200ºC
Once risen for the last time, it’s time for the crosses

Mix 75g plain flour with 75ml water; put into a piping bag with a small(ish) nozzle (I used a small flat petal nozzle).  Pipe crosses on buns, then bake for 15-20minutes.  Leave to cool on a wire rack.
NB – the high sugar content in the strawberry buns means that they can catch and burn quickly, so keep an eye on them.

Hot Cross Bun Glaze – there are numerous ways to glaze a hot cross bun, I used sugar melted in boiling water and brushed over after baking.  You could use heated and sieved apricot jam, icing sugar and water or golden syrup and water.

Update!
Made another fab batch - but a few differences...
I was short on time to bake in the morning, so made the basic Hot Cross Bun to prove overnight.  I did this by making the basic dough, adding some Cinnamon, Mix Spice and Orange Zest, placing in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm (celephane?) and then left in the fridge over night.

Then added fruit and falvours as usual - and had time for the 2nd prove...then noticed I did not have time for the 3rd!!!  So I speed up the last prove in the oven.  I heated the oven to 100C (fan) and then left the shaped buns for about 15-20 minutes - I suppose I could have done the 2nd prove in there too!  Then I added the crossed and baked as usual!  They were a big hit again!

Another great batch of Apple and Cinnamon - the only difference was that I dusted the chopped apple in extra cinnamon - for even more of a kick!

However I ran out of dried strawberries I had about 20g - so I bulked up with some dried raspberries - and these worked fab!  It really was very berry with Strawberry, Raspberry AND Cranberry Hot Cross Buns!

AND I used apple juice heated and reduced to be a little thicker as the glaze - which was less stickier then apricot jam glaze and went really well with the fruit!