Good Friday & Hot Cross Bun Recipe

Good Friday is a religious and national holiday in Australia, and is held on the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day, Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

What do people do?

In Australia, Good Friday is the start of a four-day weekend and falls during the Easter school holidays. Many people take a short vacation around this time, often within Australia. Others take the opportunity to spend time with their family or friends.

Traditionally, people eat hot cross buns on Good Friday. These are small, bread-like buns flavored with spices and raisins or currants. Some modern recipes add cocoa to the the dough and replace the dried fruit with chocolate chips. All hot cross buns are marked on the top with a cross. The cross is sometimes cut into the top of the bun and sometimes made with a different, paler dough. Some people eat hot cross buns just as they are and others split them in half, toast them, spread them with butter, jam or cream and eat them warm.

Hot Cross Bun Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 x 8g sachets dried yeast
• 1 1/4 cups (310ml) milk, warmed
• 1/4 cup (60g) caster sugar
• 4 cups (600g) plain flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp salt
• 60g butter
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour
• apricot jam, warmed and sieved, for brushing

Method

Step 1: Soak dried fruit in boiling water for an hour

Step 2: Whisk yeast, milk and caster sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Sift plain flour with cinnamon, mixed spice and salt into a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in butter.

Step 4: Stir in sultanas, cranberries (craisins), eggs and yeast mixture. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead for 10 mins. Put in large greased bowl. Cover. Leave in warm spot for 3/4 hour.

Step 5: Punch the dough down. Knead until smooth. Shape into 12 balls. Put into 30cm x 20cm greased baking tray. Set aside 1/4 hour.

Step 6 :Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine self-raising flour and 1/4 cup (60ml) water. Pipe crosses onto the buns. Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 7: Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and bake for a further 15 minutes. Brush buns while warm with jam.