Plots & Plates

Will Horner

Recipe available https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/dessert/hot-cross-buns-recipe-18485/

This is the first time in adulthood that I have not gone away for the Easter long weekend. The fuel crisis has provided an excuse to spend a few days staycationing and creating new traditions.

Hot cross buns are some of my favourite seasonal treats (I am so enthusiastic that I run an annual blind tasting of hot cross buns from local bakeries in my workplace), and while I’ve had some home made versions kindly gifted by family and colleagues, I’ve never before attempted the feat myself.

The Gourmet Traveller recipe captured my attention because it provides an overview of the recipe testing already done to produce a bun which the author muses could be ‘the best hot cross bun recipe of all time’.

I found the recipe easy to follow, and the finished product hits many of the right flavour notes. I know that my personal preference is for a heavily spiced bun, so included extra raw spices in the mix. I also swapped the candied orange peel for candied mixed peel to provide more emphasis on the citrus notes. The buns were cooked in an oven with a steam function.

My main critique of the finished product is that while the buns were tasty, I was hoping for a fluffier bun – the buns did not rise as much as I was expecting. I am not a proficient enough baker to know the source of this issue: whether the recipe could have provided clearer instructions to help to achieve a fluffier product, or whether the result is entirely user error. The current hypothesis is that the dough should have been kneaded more thoroughly to further develop the gluten. I won’t know until I try again whether that would that have produced the desired outcome or would have instead resulted in a tougher texture. I want my buns to be fluffy like a cloud!

Overall, while this recipe is user friendly and produces tasty hot cross buns, I’m not sure the buns live up to the whispered suggestion of being ‘the best of all time’. But never fear, the buns will not go to waste – I am confident that the whole batch will be happily devoured this weekend.