Take the basic spicy-sweet hot cross buns we all know and love, add three Cheeses, and what do you have? Probably the best hot cross bun spin-off of all time. Introducing the savoury hot cross bun! Try toasting them with lashings of salted butter over the Easter weekend. Yummy
INGREDIENTS
150ml whole milk
50g butter, cubed
450g strong white bread flour, plus 8 tablespoons for the crosses
1 teaspoon salt
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
2 eggs, 1 beaten in the dough, the other as a glaze
oil, for greasing
A pinch of chilli powder
75g mature Cheddar, grated
35g Parmesan, grated
75g feta, crumbled
20g chives, finely snipped
¼ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
METHOD
Heat the milk, butter and 75ml water in a small pan over a low heat for 1-2 mins until the butter is starting to melt. Remove from the heat and stir until the butter has melted completely. Leave to cool slightly: it should be just warm to the touch rather than hot.
In a large bowl, combine the 450g flour with the salt and yeast. Make a well in the centre, then pour in the milk mixture and the beaten egg. Mix together with a wooden spoon to form a rough dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for around 10 mins until soft, smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hrs or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, knock it back by gently punching out the air, then tip out onto a lightly floured work surface. Flatten the dough slightly and scatter over the Cheddar, Parmesan, feta, chilli powder and chives, pressing into the dough. Pull up the edges of the dough to enclose the cheese and herb mix, then knead for 2 mins to evenly distribute the cheese throughout the dough. Stay with it, you might think: this is not going to happen
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (around 75g each) and shape each into a round bun. Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placing the buns quite close together but not touching. Cover loosely with oiled clingfilm. Leave to rise again in a warm place for 45-50 mins.
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Brush the buns with beaten egg and allow to dry. Mix the 8 tbsp flour with 7 tbsp water, add the paprika to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle. Pipe a line across each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Brush with egg again.
Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve slightly warm. These are delicious on their own, or toasted with butter.
Original Recipe BBC Good Food
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