Hot Cross Bun Recipe For Bread Maker

You know, I've always been a bit of a sucker for tradition. There's something comforting about doing things the way they've always been done, you know? Like, every Easter, my grandma would wake up before the sun and start kneading dough for her famous hot cross buns. The whole house would fill up with this warm, sweet smell that just screamed 'spring'.

But let's face it, not all of us have the time (or the patience) to spend hours in the kitchen, right? That's where our trusty bread maker comes in. It's like having a little elf in your kitchen, doing all the hard work while you're busy doing... well, anything else!

So, Let's Get Baking!

First things first, you're gonna need some ingredients. I've kept it simple, because who wants to spend ages hunting down exotic spices, right? Here's what you'll need:

• 300ml of warm milk
• 50g of butter, melted
• 500g of strong white bread flour
• 1 tsp of salt
• 75g of caster sugar
• 1 tsp of mixed spice (you can use cinnamon if you prefer)
• 7g of fast-action dried yeast
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 100g of mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, cranberries - whatever takes your fancy)

Oh, and you'll need some more fruit and a bit of flour for the crosses, and some apricot jam for glazing. But we'll get to that later.

Time to Get Started!

Alright, so pop your milk and butter into your bread maker and start it off on the 'dough' setting. While that's warming up, measure out your flour, salt, sugar, spice, and yeast into a bowl. Give it a quick mix to combine.

Once your milk and butter are warm, add in your beaten eggs and give it a quick stir. Then, tip in your dry ingredients and start the 'dough' cycle again. It should all come together nicely.

When the dough's been kneading for about 5 minutes, add in your mixed dried fruit. This is where you might need to get your hands a bit dirty, just to make sure the fruit is evenly distributed.

Now, sit back, relax, and let your bread maker do its thing. It's like magic, isn't it? While you're waiting, you could maybe put your feet up, watch a movie, or even tackle that pile of laundry that's been staring at you for weeks. I won't judge.

Almost There!

Once your dough is ready, tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back. This just means giving it a quick knead to get rid of any air bubbles. Then, divide it into 12 equal pieces and shape them into balls.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe for the Bread Machine

Place your buns onto a lined baking tray, leaving a bit of space between each one. Cover them with a clean tea towel and leave them to rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until they've doubled in size.

While you're waiting, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or Gas Mark 6. And don't forget to make your crosses! Mix together 75g of plain flour with about 5 tbsp of water until you have a smooth paste. Pop it into a piping bag (or a plastic food bag with one corner snipped off will do the trick) and pipe a cross onto each bun.

Time to Bake!

Once your buns have risen, pop them into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they're golden brown. While they're baking, heat up your apricot jam in a small pan until it's runny. This is going to give your buns a lovely shiny glaze.

As soon as your buns are out of the oven, brush them with the jam. This will give them a lovely shiny glaze and make them taste even more delicious.

And There You Have It!

Your very own hot cross buns, made with minimal effort, thanks to your trusty bread maker. They're best eaten warm, slathered in butter, with a nice cup of tea. Perfect for Easter, or any day you fancy a bit of tradition.

So, go on, give it a try. Your kitchen (and your taste buds) will thank you!