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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 into the store, but you won't regret it when you try the end result of the soft, sweet, spicy olive oil hot cross bun. 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 bit better for you.

Recipe

  • 12
  • Preparation time: 200 minutes
  • Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the buns

  • 3 ¼ cups flour
  • 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

 For the oven glaze

  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tsp milk

For the cross

  • 200g flour
  • 230g icing sugar
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tsp milk

 For the sticky glaze

  • Hot water
  • A few spoons of honey, apricot jam, or sugar
3 ¼ cups flour 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 1 tsp milk 200g flour 230g icing sugar 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 3 tsp milk Hot water A few spoons of honey, apricot jam, or sugar

Method

  1. Sieve the flour into a large bowl. Mix through the yeast, honey, milk, eggs, orange zest, salt, and spices until all combined.
  2. Slowly add the olive oil until it’s all mixed in, then stir in the dried fruit and mixed peel.
  3. Pour out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic like. This will take roughly 6-7 minutes.
  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.
  5. Pour out on to a floured surface and knead again for a couple of minutes.
  6. Divide into 12 equal balls, shaping them in your hands into smooth buns, and arrange them equally on a baking tray.
  7. Cover again and leave to rise for another little while, again they should double their size.
  8. While they are proving, prepare the mixture for the crosses:
  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.
  10. Whisk the egg and milk together for the glaze together and brush each bun with this.
  11. Bake the buns in a preheated oven at 425F/ 220C for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
  12. Whilst they bake, make a sticky glaze to brush over when they come out. Mix with some hot water a little honey, or apricot jam, or simply sugar, into a thin consistency you can brush over the buns. As soon as they come out, do just that 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 flavours in there.

Use our tasty ingredients...

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500ml/16.9fl.oz

CA$23.00 €14.00 $20.00 £12.00 $20.00 Buy now

Olive Oil Stone Ground with Mandarins, 250ml/8.4fl.oz

CA$20.00 €10.00 $17.00 £9.00 $17.00 Buy now

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