Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Best of both Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns combining the goodness of wholemeal flour with sweet cinnamon and apple to give a delicious but healthy twist to this Easter classic. This recipe is adapted from Julie Jones‘s Soulful Baker cookbook.

Makes 9 buns

Ingredients

For the buns

• 50g butter, melted
• 175g strong white flour
• 175g strong wholemeal flour
• 35g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 7g fast action yeast
• Up to 160ml tepid water
• 1 egg
• 50g sultanas
• 50g dried apple, roughly chopped

For the crosses

• 10g butter
• 40g strong white flour
• 45ml water

For the glaze

• 75ml water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 large pinch cinnamon
• 1 large pinch ground mixed spice

Method

• Add all the dried ingredients for the buns, except the fruit, into a stand mixer. Add the butter, egg and 150ml water.
• Mix on a low speed for 10 minutes, adding the remaining 10ml of water if the dough looks a little dry – it should be just sticky.
• After 10 minutes add the dried fruit and mix for a further 2 minutes till incorporated.
• Form into a ball, cover, and allow to rise till doubled in size for around 1.5 hours.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, knock it back and divide the ball into 9 equal pieces.
• Roll each piece into a tight ball without any fruit sticking out the top as these will burn.
• Place the balls in a 3×3 formation in a baking tin roughly 20cmx20cm lined with baking parchment.
• Cover and allow to prove for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
• Melt the butter for the crosses and then whisk in the flour and water to make a thick pipe-able paste. Transfer into a piping bag and snip the end to make a small hole.
• Pipe crosses (or whatever you fancy) across the tops of the buns.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes till golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the water, sugar and spices to make the glaze.
• Once the buns are cooker, immediately brush with the glaze.
• Transfer to a wire rack, remove the baking parchment and allow to cool.

Per bun: 256kcal/ 6.6g fat/ 3.6g saturated fat/ 40.0g carbohydrates/ 5.2g fibre/ 7.8g protein