What Happened To Hot Cross Buns?

Chocolate-chip Hot Cross Buns

My dad makes a mean hot cross bun. But he only makes them on Good Friday and he only makes them with fruit. The first time I came home with a choc-chip version from Bakers Delight, I knew he was disappointed (mainly because he said, "Alice, I'm really disappointed).

It's not that my dad is at all religious, it's just that he believes in the sanctity of food. And Dad can't see why you'd take a perfectly good fruit bun and replace the raisins with chocolate. Me? I think they taste divine either way.

But the fact is, those chocolate ones aren't doing the diet any favours, so if you want to stick to the traditional version this Easter, try this classic recipe from Aussie cooking legend Margaret Fulton...

You'll need...

•  4 cups (600g) plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp salt
• 60g butter, softened, plus extra to serve
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 7g sachet dried yeast
• 1/2 cup (80g) sultanas or currants
• 1 cup (250ml) lukewarm milk, plus extra, for brushing
• 1 egg, lightly beaten or extra milk, for glazing
• 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour

Glaze

• 2 tbsps warm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp gelatine

Here's what you need to do...

1. Sift flour, spice and salt in a bowl. Rub in butter, until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar, yeast and sultanas or currants.

2. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients. Stir in ½ cup warm water, milk and egg, gradually incorporating surrounding flour to mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place in a clean, greased bowl. Turn over once so that top of dough is greased.

3. Cover bowl completely with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours until doubled in bulk.

4. Lightly grease a baking tray, two 20cm cake pans or a larger round cake pan. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat out to 3cm thickness. Cut into 14 pieces and gently shape each into a ball, always keeping the tops uppermost as you shape to keep them nice and smooth. Place buns on prepared tray or cake pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 20-30 mins.

5. Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan. Brush buns with beaten egg or extra milk. Combine self-raising flour and ¼ cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon into a snap lock bag, snip end and pipe crosses on buns.

6. Bake buns for 15 mins, until golden brown. Meanwhile stir together water, sugar and gelatine until sugar has dissolved. Brush hot buns with glaze and stand buns near open and turned-off oven, until glaze is dry. Serve warm or toasted with butter if you like.