What is Easter without Rooibos Chai Hot Cross Buns?

A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun usually made with fruit, marked with a cross on the top, and has been traditionally eaten on Good Friday in historically Commonwealth countries, including South Africa.

English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. One of them says that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or grow mouldy during the subsequent year. Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone ill is said to help them recover. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. 

The debate about who makes the best is always heated this time of year, but why buy them when you can make your own. These are made with our Superior Rooibos Chai tea, and have warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and clove to keep you toasty this weekend. Best eaten fresh and still slightly warm, these are also delicious the next morning toasted with a generous swipe of salted butter. 

Buns

• 500 g white bread flour
• 10 g yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 large egg
• 50 g soft butter
• 350 ml water
• 3 Chai Rooibos teabags
• 300 g raisins

Crosses

• 75 g flour
• 75 g water
• 25 g oil
• Sugar syrup:
• 50 g caster sugar
• 50 g water

Pinch each of cinnamon, cardamom, ground black pepper, and cloves

Method

• Boil the water and steep the tea bags for 6 minutes, remove them, and then allow the water to cool

• Put all ingredients, except the raisins, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment

• Knead on medium speed until it all comes together, then turn the speed to medium high and knead until the dough comes away from the sides and starts looking smooth

• Add the raisins and mix until combined

• Lightly coat the dough in oil and allow to proof, covered, until doubled in size (about 1 hour)

• Knock the dough down, return to the bowl and allow to proof for a further 30 minutes

• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12

• Shape each into a ball shape, and place onto a lined baking sheet and allow to proof until doubled in size

• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190° C, mix the ingredients for the crosses, and make the sugar syrup by heating the water and sugar until dissolved

• Using a piping bag to pipe crosses onto the buns, and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden

• Brush with sugar syrup as they come out of the oven, and allow to cool slightly before serving