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Original poster

Hot cross buns! Soft and how do you make the cross?

28 replies

Etino · 19/04/2019 09:16

I’m a good baker but my rolls are generally crusty, how do I make them soft?
And how do you make the cross? I’ve ended up with messy piping in the past or peeling crosses and google is suggesting icing.
The buns are currently proving (pre cross) so not ingredient advice more temperature/ glaze.
Thank you!

OP posts:
Se7ven11 · 19/04/2019 09:20

I'm a hopeless Baker... Asda is the answerWink - We have an Asda next door to where I work and their hot x buns are Devine - I no longer bother trying to bake my own.

Original poster
Etino · 19/04/2019 09:23

@Se7ven11
Too late, look st them just waiting for Mumsnet advice!!

Hot cross buns! Soft and how do you make the cross?
OP posts:
Nacreous · 19/04/2019 09:25

Cross is a flour and water paste and I think painting with milk will keep them soft?

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Baking
Nacreous · 19/04/2019 09:26

ahh sorry, are you asking physically how you make the cross? I just pipe mine - maybe wet the top of the bun first ?

AwdBovril · 19/04/2019 09:26

For any new recipe like that I usually search for a Mary Berry version. Both hers, & Paul Hollywood's, use milk in the recipe. May be the crucial factor to keeping them soft?

Se7ven11 · 19/04/2019 09:27

@Etino
OMG they look Devine. I'm on my way over right now, put the kettle onGrin

AwdBovril · 19/04/2019 09:27

But yes, the cross appears just to be a thick paste of plain flour & water.

MollysLips · 19/04/2019 09:28

Yes, the cross is just flour and water mixed into a thick paste, which you toll out, cut intro strips, and stick on top.

I'd leats foubd the cross to be an amazing part of a hot cross bun and was a bit disappointed to find out its so simple. 😆

Frangipane · 19/04/2019 09:28

Eagerly awaiting information too. The only recipes I have comes across for the cross is a strip of pastry, which sounds plain wrong to me, or a flour and water paste which is what I do but it is a) hard to pipe on neatly and b) results in a tough, virtually impossible to chew cross once baked.

I don't know about getting a soft crust either but that doesn't bother me. I glaze the buns, after baking, with sugar and water syrup.

MollysLips · 19/04/2019 09:29

Wow - sorry for typos! 🙈

Frangipane · 19/04/2019 09:30

Ah ok, I am going wrong by baking the cross? Do you add the cross after baking?

reallybadidea · 19/04/2019 09:35

It's the fat in the mixture that makes them soft, so you need a recipe that has milk and probably a fair amount of butter in it.

Crosses definitely piped before baking, not after. I find a bit of vegetable oil in the flour/water mix stops it going too crusty and helps pipe it. You could try snipping the paste with scissors at the end of the line you've made. I find it easiest to do the crosses once the buns are well proved and close together and then you can do a whole set of lines in each direction, rather than all the buns individually, if that makes sense!

Original poster
Etino · 19/04/2019 09:35

Thank you all!
So- crosses made and glazed with milk.
@Se7ven11 kettle on, let yourself in quietly as the rest of the house is fast asleep!

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 19/04/2019 09:37

I use marzipan for the crosses.

WalterIris · 19/04/2019 09:38

I made Paul hollywoods yesterday.

The cross is made with flour, one egg and water in this recipe. maybe the egg is key?

There is also milk in the main recipe

WalterIris · 19/04/2019 09:39

Oh and glazed with egg before cross added. then brushed with apricot jam after they come out of the oven

GoldenPineapples · 19/04/2019 09:49

My ex dh is a baker and has made thousands of hot cross buns over 35 years. I asked him this because I fancied making some and he said it's one cup of plain flour, one cup of corn flour, a little oil (any cooking oil) then mix to a double cream consistency with water. Refrigerate while you are waiting for the buns to prove. Then pipe onto buns before going in the oven.

frangipanitree · 19/04/2019 09:53

Just made my first ever successful batch of hot cross buns with a soft crust. The solution? Small bowl of boiled water in bottom of oven whilst buns cook.

drspouse · 19/04/2019 09:56

Delia suggests you cut the crosses in before baking.
Anyone managed to prove overnight? Maybe in the fridge?

Original poster
Etino · 19/04/2019 09:59

@frangipanitree I did that too! In oven now with boiled water and glazed with egg, milk and a little sugar.

Hot cross buns! Soft and how do you make the cross?
OP posts:
frangipanitree · 19/04/2019 10:04

@Etino Good luck!

Original poster
Etino · 19/04/2019 10:37

Ta da!
They puffed up- I proved them overnight and they rose before I put them in the steamy oven with the egg milk and sugar glaze.

And they’re soft!
Thank you all!
@Se7ven11 where are you?
(

Hot cross buns! Soft and how do you make the cross?
OP posts:
Se7ven11 · 19/04/2019 10:58

@Etino

i've been knocking on your door for the past half an hour! You do still live at no. 105a, right?

Original poster
Etino · 19/04/2019 11:06

Soz

Hot cross buns! Soft and how do you make the cross?
OP posts:
Se7ven11 · 19/04/2019 11:25

@Etino
You've ghosted me! , or moved home without telling me Grin.
I gave up and went to the Asda cafe instead.