Traditional Hot Cross Buns | Fiji Style Hot Cross Buns





It's that time of the year again! Easter! In Fiji, this means lots of delicious hot cross buns! I remember mom going down to the stores and grabbing the buns with the big red crosses painted on them... Although these aren't the "typical" Fiji style hot cross buns, they are widely sold in Fiji too. More importantly, these are DELICIOUS! So give this recipe a try and trust me as I say, you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients:

For Buns:
  • 4 cups bread flour/strong flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1-2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2-1 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • pinch of salt
  • 1-2 cups dried fruits (pineapple, apples, raisins, sultanas, currants)
  • 1 cup milk (any milk of choice) 
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • zest of one lemon
  • zest of one orange
Cross Paste:
  • 1/2 cup white flour
  • 1/4-1/2 cup water
Glaze:
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
Method:
  1. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, mixed spice, salt, citrus zest, and dried fruit in a large bowl. 
  2. Combine milk, butter, and eggs together and pour into flour mixture. 
  3. Mix well until it comes together.
  4. Knead by hand for 10 minutes or in stand mixer for 5-7 minutes. 
  5. Place into a lightly greased bowl and butter the top of the dough. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until dough doubles in size.
  6. Grease your baking pan/try with butter and set aside. Punch dough down to its original size. Divide into 16 even pieces. Shape each portion into a ball. Place balls onto lined tray, about 1/2 inch apart. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until buns double in size. 
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F or 170°C. 
  8. To make the flour paste, mix flour and water together in a small bowl until smooth, adding a little more water if paste is too thick. Pour into ziplock or pastry piping bag and pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses. 
  9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until buns are cooked through.
  10. To make the glaze, place water and sugar into a small microwaveable bow and microwave for 3-4 minutes. Brush warm glaze over warm hot cross buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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