I tried the hot cross bun recipe loved by the royals - there was just one problem

With Easter on the way, supermarkets are already stocking up on hot cross buns, but for those feeling more adventurous, there are plenty of recipes to make your own at home. One such recipe that's beloved by the royals can be found in Royal Teas: Seasonal Recipes from Buckingham Palace . Stumbling on this recipe on the Royal Collection website, I decided to give it a go (despite having never made my own hot cross buns before).

While I did already have the majority of flours and sugars used in this recipe , it did take me a trip to Marks & Spencer to pick up the candied peel, although if you aren't able to pick this up, you can definitely make these buns without this. You just may want to increase the quantity of raisins and sultanas used. After making sure I had all the ingredients (substituting fresh yeast for dried active and reducing the amount slightly), I started on the recipe .



It required an hour and 45 minutes of proving time, which did feel like quite a lot but meant I was able to catch up on household chores rather than spending hours in the kitchen baking. Once the buns are in the oven, they need only be baked for 8-12 minutes and then brushed with a sugar syrup. Once cooled, just cut them in half and serve with butter, margarine or even jam - your choice.

The most strenuous part of the process was the kneading of the dough, although if you have a bread maker or a suitable mixer this will take no time at all. The other issue I found was that it was quite difficult to repeatedly pipe crosses, but this is perhaps due to my own lack of artistic skills than anything else. Overall, I found the hot cross buns quite delicious, although they did end up looking and tasting more like fruit scones.

However, I will certainly be trying this recipe , or a similar one, again before the end of the Easter season. 1.5 free-range eggs 25g (1/8 cup) fresh yeast 375g (3 cups) strong flour Two tablespoons unrefined caster sugar 60g (1⁄4 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and diced A generous pinch of salt 130ml (1⁄2 cup) tepid water Two tablespoons candied mixed peel Two tablespoons golden sultanas Two tablespoons raisins Two teaspoons ground mixed spice For the piping paste: Four tablespoons plain white flour One tablespoon unrefined caster sugar One tablespoon cold water (plus more if needed) For the sugar syrup: 100ml (1⁄2 cup) water 200g (One cup) unrefined caster sugar The recipe creators suggest starting by pre-heating the oven to 220oC (425oF, gas mark 7).

However, you could also wait until the second proof to do this if you want to reduce your energy cost slightly. Then, disperse the yeast in some room-temperature water. Sieve the flour, salt, sugar, and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl, and then rub in the diced butter until it is incorporated into the flour mix.

In a second bowl, beat together the yeast and the eggs. Create a well in the middle of the flour, and then pour in the egg mixture and mix together until you have a soft and pliable dough. Then place the dough on a well-floured surface and incorporate in the dried fruit.

Knead for another five minutes or until it feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place in the mixing bowl. Cover with some clingfilm or a clean tea towel.

Set aside for one hour to prove - the dough should have doubled in size. After doubling in size, set the dough back onto a lightly floured surface and knock the air out of it. Then, divide the dough into 15 evenly sized buns - about 15g per bun.

Roll into balls and place on a lined baking tray, cover with a tea towel and allow to prove for around 30-45 minutes, until they have doubled in size once again. Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the piping paste until it reaches a consistency that will allow you to pipe crosses onto the buns. When the buns have proved, pipe the crosses, then place the buns on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 8–12 minutes, or until they turn a pale golden brown.

While the buns bake, boil together the sugar and water to make the sugar syrup. When the buns have finished baking, remove from the oven and brush with the syrup immediately. Then, set aside - and allow to cool before eating.

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