Hot Cross Buffins

I'm a massive fan of trying out new twists on classic seasonal recipes, so when I came across these hybrid Easter treats over on Pinterest I just had to give them a go! A blend between the traditional Hot Cross Bun and a scrummy spiced muffin, these Hot Cross Buffins offer a light and contemporary twist on a well-loved, classic English bake. 

I think a basket of these Buffins (I can't get over that word!) would make the perfect alternative to the standard, twenty-first Century gift of a chocolate Easter egg at this time of year. I'd love to make a batch to give to my grandparents as they look so delightfully tempting all snuggled together in their basket! 

If you'd like to make some yourself... 

You will need:

- 450g strong white bread flour
- 1/2tsp salt
- 50g unsalted butter, cubed
- 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast
- 2tsp ground mixed spice
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 275ml/9fl oz milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 200g mixed fruit, a few cherries (halved)
- 2 tbsp plain flour + 5 tbsp cold water, for the crosses
- golden syrup, to glaze

- 9 brown paper, tulip cases like these
- a bread-maker
- a muffin tin
- a piping bag or sandwich bag

And to make these sticky & spicy treats:

1. Put all the dough ingredients (everything in bold above) into your bread-maker and, following your bread-maker instructions, set to the 'dough' programme. This will make your dough for you, so sit back and relax!
2. Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down to deflate. Flour your hands (this is important, as the dough will be super sticky) and flatten the dough into a large circle. Tip the mixed fruit into the centre of the circle and enclose with the dough. Knead the dough with your hands (you may need to keep flouring, don't panic!) to distribute the fruit evenly and then cut the dough into nine pieces with a sharp knife. Re-knead the smaller pieces of dough and then roll them into balls. 
3. Line the muffin tin with your tulip cases and then pop a ball of dough into each of the nine cases. Cover the tin loosely with a layer of lightly-oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size. 
4. Preheat the oven to 180c/gas 6. Mix up the glaze for the crosses by stirring 2 tbsp plain together with about 5 tbsp of cold water. You want a smooth, thick paste. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag or a clean sandwich bag with the corner snipped off and pipe crosses onto the buns. Tip- mine were wobbly and still came out looking fairly decent so don't get to worked up if the crosses look messy at this point!
5. Bake for about 15/20 mins until the buns are golden brown and the crosses can clearly be seen. Lift out onto a cooling rack. Brush the tops with a little golden syrup whilst they're still warm. 

And that's it!

Feel free to mix up the ingredients if you want :) If you're feeling decadent, I think chocolate chips would work really well in place of the fruit, or you could even try adding some cocoa to the flour mixture to make them extra chocolatey! It's up to you!

A quick tea recommendation here, because I accidentally came across a match made in heaven. Whilst absent-mindedly making my usual cuppa this morning and sneaking in a cheeky mid-morning snack, I found these Hot Cross Muffins go so well with lemon tea- perhaps, I think, because they had a sprinkling of lemon zest in their dough. In any case, it makes for a lovely blend of warm spices and fresh lemon, I highly recommend! :)

So there we go, a lovely twist on a classic Easter recipe to impress your friends and family with! These Buffins are best served warm, either straight out the oven or heated up for a couple of mins, and work really well with either a smothering of butter or a good dollop of jam!


Do you have any fun and unique Easter recipes or traditions? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below :)


In the meantime,
All the love,

Sian x