Dutch Oven Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Hot Cross Buns are spiced sweet buns eaten on Good Friday. As Easter long weekend is a great camping weekend in many countries this is a must-cook recipe each year.
Preparation 1 hour
Cook 25 minutes
Ready in 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 12 Servings
Ingredients
Fruit Buns
- 1 1/3 cups warm milk (310ml) (110 degrees F | 43 degrees C)
- 1/4 cup caster sugar (60g)
- 2 sachets dried active yeast (about 4 teaspoons) (7g)
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (600g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup butter (60g)
- 1 1/2 cups raisins or sultanas
- 2 eggs
Adding the Cross
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 1/4 cup water (60ml)
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons water
Equipment
- 2 bowls
- 12 inch Dutch oven
- 1 ziplock bag
- 1 small pot
Directions
Buns
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, and yeast until all the sugar has dissolved. Cover and set aside until the yeast has activated and the mixture has become frothy; about 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. With your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir the raisins, eggs, and frothy yeast mixture into the flour mixture, then mix until well combined.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Add the dough to a large, slightly greased bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- Remove the risen dough from the bowl and ‘punch down’. Slightly knead the dough, then divide into 12 equally sized balls.
- Place the balls (buns) onto a greased tray, cover them with plastic wrap, then leave them in a warm place to rise while you heat the Dutch oven.
- Preheat the Dutch oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), then add the dough balls.
Adding the Cross
- Whisk together the flour and water to a smooth paste. Place in a disposable ziplock bag and cut off the tip. Put aside until needed.
- Lightly butter the preheated Dutch oven, then add balls of dough so they are loosely touching each other.
- Add a cross on top of each bun with the water and flour mix using the prepared ziplock as a piping bag.
- Bake the buns in the Dutch oven for 25 minutes, or until cooked through.
Glaze
- Before the hot cross buns finish cooking, add the apricot jam and water to a small pot and bring to a simmer to make it easier to spread.
- Straight after removing the buns from the Dutch oven, brush with the warmed apricot jam glaze.
- Serve while still warm.
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