One a penny Two a penny

Anyone here make Hot Cross Buns? They are a thing in the UK, originally for Good Friday, but latterly anytime up to Easter. They are slightly spiced bread buns, usually eaten warm with butter and are easy to make for a tasty treat that isn't too full of sugar. When I was little I remember all the children in school going shroving on Shrove Tuesday to the big house where they would give all the children a halfpenny and a bun. It looks like the tradition was still going quite recently: Shroving traditions
We used to sing a little rhyme as we walked through the village, two by two in a crocodile: "Pit pat! The pans hot. Here we come a shroving. With the butcher on your back, a hapenny's better than nothing!" As a child I wondered why we would be carrying the butcher, before I realise the reference to debt.
I don't make them often now, we have a local lady whose baking is far better than mine, but since she's poorly this year I made an effort. I had forgotton how nice they are!

Hot Cross buns split and buttered

Sift one pound bread flour, one teaspoon salt, 2 ounces caster sugar, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, a grate of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into a large bowl, add a sachet of dried quick yeast and 4 ounces mixed dried fruit and mix well. In a jug put 2 beaten eggs, make up to 1/2 UK pint (10 fl ounces) with warm milk, add 2 ounces melted butter. Add fluids to flour and mix well, knead until soft smooth and elastic. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour till doubled in size. Turn onto a floured board and knead again. Divide dough in half. Shape half into a loaf and put into a 1 lb greased loaf tin or similar. Divide the other half into 8 pieces shape into buns, flatten and cut a cross on top with a knife. Place buns on a greased baking tray. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until puffy. Make glaze: 2 tablespoons sugar dissolve in 2 tablespoons milk and bring to boil.
Bake buns for approx 15 minutes at 400 deg F (or equivalent) until lightly browned. Turn onto cooling rack and brush with glaze whist hot.
Bake loaf for approx 15 minutes at 400 deg F (or equivalent) , then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (or move down in oven) for another 25-30 mins. till firm. Turn out onto cooling rack and glaze as for buns if desired.
These freeze well, but do not glaze if freezing. (edited to add) recipe adapted from Farmhouse Kitchen book edited by Rosemary Heesom (1975).
You could make the whole batch into buns or into smaller loafs as you wish. I suspect that the dough also would make an awesome stollen with a bit of marzipan through the centre....

Hot Cross Buns tempting on cooling rack

Edited to add yeast to recipe!

You're making me hungry here Nancy and it's still quite early in the morning!! I think I've had a home made hot cross bun only once, and it was excellent. The only other experience with them I have is something along these lines:


I still remember being able to hear that sound all the way at the other end of the school.

Thanks for sharing the recipe!

Thank you for sharing both the stories of shroving and the recipe for hot cross buns. I remember the little song from my childhood, and see the buns in bakeries around Easter, but I don't remember ever having one.

I wanted to make sure I understood correctly- I don't see any leavening agent listed. Do they rise naturally or do the eggs lift them? Do you know what dried fruit is traditionally used?

One year Mr Ara made "not" cross buns, making the dough in a breadmaker. They had no crosses on hence not cross buns. They were delicious so I don't know why he hasn't made them since. Maybe I'd better remind him. I have made them in the past but not for many years.

Mercy Pergande wrote:I wanted to make sure I understood correctly- I don't see any leavening agent listed. Do they rise naturally or do the eggs lift them? Do you know what dried fruit is traditionally used?

Oh well spotted! You do indeed need yeast (or some sort of sourdough starter...here's a recipe) I'll edit the first post to reflect this - thank you!

I always use "mixed fruit" which is, as it says, a mixture of currants, raisins, sultanas and mixed candied citrus peel. There are some interesting modern variations. Some like to put a pastry cross on the cut or make it with cocoa and choc chips.

Choc Cross Buns

source

In Scotland they are often made without the fruit, just the spices, but I like the mixed fruit best.

Cam Haslehurst wrote:You're making me hungry here Nancy and it's still quite early in the morning!! I think I've had a home made hot cross bun only once, and it was excellent. The only other experience with them I have is something along these lines:

I still remember being able to hear that sound all the way at the other end of the school.

Thanks for sharing the recipe!

A different tune to the one I remember (as much as I can tell anyhow, bless)! This one is closer: