One thing I really enjoy about this time of year is Hot Cross Buns. When we were children, we only really had them on Good Friday, which was quite traditional. These days they are available pretty much all year round, and in a variety of flavors as well. Some being studded with chocolate chips, cherries, and all sorts.
I prefer the traditional and whilst I will don't wait until Good Friday to enjoy them, I generally leave the enjoyment of them to the Easter season. To do otherwise takes away from the pleasure for me. When something becomes every day and common, then it just isn't special anymore. Know what I mean?
Yes, I am very much a traditionalist when it comes to food and specifics, especially when we are talking holidays and celebration types of food. Always a turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and always a Ham for New Years and Easter.
My friend Monique, of La Table de Nana had posted these Hot Cross Buns on her Instagram page the other day. The recipe comes from Moomin Makes Stuff. Monique's posts are always so beautiful. I instantly wanted to make these buns and so I went to Moomin and got the recipe.
I did not need 12 buns however, so I cut the recipe in half to make only six. They turned out gorgeous! I will be making them again before Easter. Not only are they soft and light, but they are incredibly quick to make. You can literally be enjoying them in not much more than half an hour, which makes them perfect to throw together for breakfast on the day.
I did make a few changes. I used some of the more traditional ingredients such as mixed spice and mixed dried fruit, but other than that I left everything the same, just cutting things in half. These were fabulous! I highly recommend.
Don't you just love my Beatrix Potter figurines? Gifts from my friend Elaine through the years, even the whistle mug. We had whistle mugs when we were children. We were only allowed to use them at Easter. That only added to the excitement of the day. We really enjoyed whistling at each other with our mugs!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUICK & EASY HOT CROSS BUNS (small batch)
Just a few simple baking cupboard ingredients. I bet you already have everything you need to make these in your larder right now!
- 1/2 cup (120ml) warm milk
- 1 TBS instant yeast
- 3 TBS (43g) butter, melted and left to cool
- 1/8 cup (20ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups (188g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (38g) raisins (I used mixed fruit)
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
For the icing crosses:
- 1/2 cup (60g) icing sugar
- enough milk to make a thick pipeable glaze
Make sure your milk is no more than blood temperature, or you will kill the yeast. (98.6*F/37*C) I like to make sure all of my other ingredients are at room temperature, including the melted butter. This will give you a much better result.
Large eggs in North America are medium sized eggs in Europe.
The original recipe used ground cinnamon. I went the more traditional route and used mixed spice, which is a baking mix of warm spices used frequently in the U.K. and especially in hot cross buns. (I have given you the instructions on how to make your own in the notes on the recipe card.)
The original recipe also used raisins and I chose to use a mixed fruit dry fruit mix which is what they would use in the U.K. which is a mix of raisins, currants and candied peel. Again, I was looking for a more traditional result.
I did make the icing crosses which is what we grew up with, but in the U.K. they would pipe crosses on top of the buns using a flour paste, which is much more traditional.
HOW TO MAKE QUICK AND EASY HOT CROSS BUNS
Prepare to be amazed at how very quickly you can be enjoying these delicious buns!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Line a small baking tray with baking parchment. Set aside.
Whisk the milk and yeast together in a bowl. Whisk in the egg, melted butter and maple syrup, mixing everything together very well.
Add the flour, mixed spice and salt. Mix together until you have a shaggy dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead gently for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth ball. You may need to add a bit of additional flour if it is too sticky.
Roll out to a rectangle. Sprinkle the raisins all over the surface of the dough. (You can soak the raisins first in some warm water to plump them but do dry them off well before using.)
Roll up tightly and then shape into a ball again. Cut into six equal pieces, and shape each piece into a ball.
Place onto the baking paper, seam side down, leaving a bit of space between each. How much space you leave will determine whether you have soft sides or not.
Brush the tops with some of the egg wash.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. They should be golden brown on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
Make a thick pipeable glaze with the icing sugar and some milk. (you won't need much milk) Pipe this over top of the buns in the iconic cross shape.
Serve and enjoy.
I was really surprised at how very quickly these went together and were in the oven. They came out soft and delicious. I would add a bit more fruit the next time I make them as I like more fruit in my buns, and I will add the flour paste cross on top as I prefer that over the icing one.
These really were nice, however. If you are looking for a quick and easy version of a hot cross bun that is also a yeasted version, you cannot go wrong with this recipe!
Here are a few more versions of the iconic Hot Cross Bun that you might also enjoy!
MARY BERRY'S HOT CROSS BUNS - You will need to set aside the better part of a day to make these, but I promise you that they are worth the effort. Nicely spiced, loaded with fruit, soft and delicious. I'd expect nothing less than perfection from Mary Berry. These have the flour paste crosses on top and are sweetly glazed.
HOT CROSS BUNS WITH SPICED FRUIT BUTTER- A sturdier version of the hot cross bun adapted from a recipe by Nigel Slater. No flour paste or sugar paste crosses on these. Simply a cross cut into the center of the roll prior to baking. They are lovely. DO make the spiced fruit butter to go with them. It is gorgeous and really adds to the deliciousness of these buns!
Yield: six buns
Quick and Easy Hot Cross Buns (small batch)
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 35 Min
If I had not made these myself I would not have believed how quickly they could be made. Light and fluffy, beautifully flavored, and on the table in not much more than half an hour. I kid you not.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120ml) warm milk
- 1 TBS instant yeast
- 3 TBS (43g) butter, melted
- 1/8 cup (20ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups (188g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (38g) raisins (I used mixed fruit)
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
For the icing crosses:
- 1/2 cup (60g) icing sugar
- enough milk to make a thick pipeable glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Line a small baking tray with baking parchment. Set aside.
- Whisk the milk and yeast together in a bowl. Whisk in the egg, melted butter and maple syrup, mixing everything together very well.
- Add the flour, mixed spice and salt. Mix together until you have a shaggy dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead gently for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth ball. You may need to add a bit of additional flour if it is too sticky.
- Roll out to a rectangle. Sprinkle the raisins all over the surface of the dough. (You can soak the raisins first in some warm water to plump them but do dry them off well before using.)
- Roll up tightly and then shape into a ball again. Cut into six equal pieces, and shape each piece into a ball.
- Place onto the baking paper, seam side down, leaving a bit of space between each. How much space you leave will determine whether you have soft sides or not.
- Brush the tops with some of the egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. They should be golden brown on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
- Make a thick pipeable glaze with the icing sugar and some milk. (you won't need much milk)
- Pipe this over top of the buns in the iconic cross shape.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Mixed spice is a very common spice mixture used in British baking. You can easily make your own: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content, and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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I have always loved making my own granola. I have been making it since the early 1980's when my next-door neighbor at the time shared her recipe with me. I, for the life of me, could not get my children to eat oatmeal, but they gobbled up granola like crazy. I was grateful for that.
That original recipe was pretty primitive compared to the granola that I make today. Through the years I have experimented and adapted it to use different flavors and additions, and I have also tried other people's recipes with great success.
What can I say? I LOVE GRANOLA! It can be a really healthy and delicious way to get protein and fiber into your diet without adding a lot of fat or sugar. It's all in the mix, and if you add fresh fruit and some yogurt when you are eating it (my preferred way to eat it) then you have a really delicious and healthy breakfast option.
This week when I made it, I decided to try out a new recipe. I discovered this recipe on a page called The Kitchen Said. I loved that it didn't use anything other than what I already had in my larder. Nothing out of the ordinary.
It was a pretty basic recipe and also looked to be quite low in fat and sugar. That also appealed to me. High in fiber, low in fat, low in sugar. That is a pretty unbeatable combination in my books!
WHAT YOU NED TO MAKE MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA
This is a fairly simple version of granola and really doesn't take a lot of ingredients. The original recipe used only cinnamon, but I added a mixture of warm baking spices which gave it a lovely flavor!
- 3 cups (241g) old fashioned rolled oats (the large flake oats, not instant)
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecan nuts
- 1/3 cup (71g) coconut oil
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
I used an organic thick flake oats that my sister ordered for me online. It came out lovely. I like an oats with some tooth to it.
I used Kirkland pecan nuts, which I broke up with my hands. This kept the chunks nice and not too small.
I use pure Maple syrup, grade B which is darker. Don't use pancake syrup. It is not the same thing.
I make my own vanilla extract. You can find that recipe here. It is very easily done. Also the fresher your spices the nicer the flavors. They will have more oomph.
If you want to you can add some dried fruit after the granola finished toasting and has cooled down.
HOW TO MAKE MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA
Once you have made your own granola you will never settle for a store-bought granola again. There is a world of difference when it comes to flavor.
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a large, lipped, baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
Toss the oats, pecans, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and salt together in a bowl.
Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the vanilla and the maple syrup. Whisk well together to combine.
Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oats and nuts, mixing well together.
Spread out evenly on the prepped baking tray.
Toast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Give it all a good stir and spread it out again. Toast for an additional 15 minutes until toasty and golden brown.
Leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Enjoy in a bowl with your favorite breakfast toppings (fruit, yogurt, milk, kefir, etc.) or enjoy eaten out of hand as a wholesome snack.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT GRANOLA
If you follow my hints and tips, you will always have some great granola to eat and enjoy!
1. Granola needs some oil to keep it from being too dry. Olive oil and coconut oil are two delicious and healthy options.
2. Use a good old-fashioned large-flaked oats to make your granola. You can also add barley flakes for a tasty addition. Don't use quick or regular oats. They do not have enough "tooth."
3. I like to add a mixture of nuts, seeds and large flake unsweetened coconut when I make my granola most of the time. This adds lots of texture, protein and interest.
4. Don't add any dried fruit until the granola is done and cooled.
5. Use the right sized baking sheet for the amount of granola you are making. You want it to be pretty full so that the oats done burn. Also, if you press the oats down firmly in the pan you can get some nice clusters, if that is your thing.
This was really a very good granola, not too sweet and loaded with plenty of fiber. It was also very quick and easy to make. I loved the flavor that the coconut oil gave to it, and I thought my addition of a variety of warm baking spices was spot on!
Next time I will add more pecans as I really like a lot of nuts in my granola, but overall, this was delicious. I have been enjoying it in my favorite way with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. How will you enjoy yours?
I have been making my own granola in one way or another since the early 1980's when my children were all very young. As they wouldn't eat oatmeal back then, it was a great way to get them to eat oats and I thought was a very healthy option for them. Here are a few other granola recipes which I enjoy!
HONEY GRANOLA - A delicious recipe for a granola that uses a beautiful mix of nuts, oats, some Kashi go lean cereal, with olive or coconut oil and sweetened only with some honey. Once everything is all toasty and golden brown you can add any kind of dried fruit that you enjoy. I like dried cranberries and blueberries. This is a small batch recipe.
CHOCOLATE CINNAMON GRANOLA - Large flake oats and nuts are in equal measure in this granola which is flavored with cocoa powder and cinnamon. With only 1 TBS of maple syrup in the recipe and only 4 TBS of oil, it is low in fat, low in sugar, low in carbs and high in fiber. It is also delicious which makes this recipe a real winner!
Yield: Makes 8 plus servings
Maple Pecan Granola
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Deliciously wholesome and not overly sweet, with a nice bit of spice and plenty of toasty pecans!
Ingredients
- 3 cups (241g) old fashioned rolled oats (the large flake oats, not instant)
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecan nuts
- 1/3 cup (71g) coconut oil
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a large, lipped, baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
- Toss the oats, pecans, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and salt together in a bowl.
- Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the vanilla and the maple syrup. Whisk well together to combine.
- Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oats and nuts, mixing well together.
- Spread out evenly on the prepped baking tray.
- Toast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Give it all a good stir and spread it out again. Toast for an additional 15 minutes until toasty and golden brown.
- Leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
- Enjoy in a bowl with your favorite breakfast toppings (fruit, yogurt, milk, kefir, etc.) or enjoy eaten out of hand as a wholesome snack.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content, and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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