No-fuss hot cross buns

With quick prep and no kneading, this surprisingly simple recipe will be a hit with kids this Easter

  • Prep:5 mins
    Cook:20 mins
    Plus 3 hrs proving
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 173
  • fat 1g
  • saturates 0g
  • carbs 39g
  • sugars 7g
  • fibre 1g
  • protein 4g
  • salt 0.01g

Ingredients

  • 500g plain flour
  • ½ tsp dried yeast
  • handful raisins
  • ¼ tsp mixed spice
  • 50g marzipan
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

Method

  1. Put flour in a large bowl and add the yeast, raisins, mixed spice and 350ml water. Stir to a soft dough, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 3 hrs at room temperature, by which time the dough will have expanded and become smoother in appearance. If you want to leave it for longer, for example overnight, just leave it in the fridge.

  2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 6. Butter a 12-hole muffin tin. Divide the dough into 12 and shape each portion into a neat ball on a floured work surface. Drop each ball into a muffin hole. Bake for 20 mins.

  3. Roll out the marzipan and cut it into 0.5cm-wide strips to make the crosses for the buns. Mix the sugar with 2 tbsp water and leave to dissolve. When the buns are cooked, take them out of the oven and carefully lay a cross made from two marzipan strips on top of each and put them back in the oven for 5 mins. Take the buns out, brush with the sugar water and leave to cool.

Suggested recipes from this collection...