Olive Oil Hot Cross Buns
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.
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups flour - For the buns
- 5g active dried yeast
- 2 tbps honey
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- Zest of an orange
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- A pinch of salt
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups mixed dried fruit
- ½ cup mixed peel
- 1 beaten egg - For the oven glaze
- 1 tsp milk
- 200g flour - For the cross
- 230g icing sugar
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tsp milk
- Hot water - For the sticky glaze
- A few spoons of honey, apricot jam, or sugar
Method
- Step 1
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl. Mix through the yeast, honey, milk, eggs, orange zest, salt, and spices until all combined.
- Step 2
- Slowly add the olive oil until it’s all mixed in, then stir in the dried fruit and mixed peel.
- Step 3
- Pour out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. This will take roughly 6-7 minutes.
- Step 4
- 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.
- Step 5
- Pour out on to a floured surface and knead again for a couple of minutes.
- Step 6
- Divide into 12 equal balls, shaping them in your hands into smooth buns and arrange them equally on a baking tray.
- Step 7
- Cover again and leave to rise again until they double their size.
- Step 8
- While they are proving, prepare the mixture for the crosses.
- Step 9
- 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.
- Step 10
- Whisk the egg and milk together for the glaze and brush over each bun.
- Step 11
- Bake the buns in a preheated oven at 425F/ 220C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Step 12
- Whilst 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 and you will have lovely sticky hot fresh buns to enjoy. Nudo tip: if you really love the citrus flavours in hot cross buns, use mandarin oil instead of extra virgin to enhance the flavour.
