Cheese and chilli hot cross buns
By:
Sophie Austen-Smith
Former deputy food editor, delicious.
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Published: 9 Mar 21
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Updated: 18 Mar 24
Cheese and chilli hot cross buns open up a whole new world of savoury snacking at Easter time. Try them served warm with lashings of salted butter this Easter weekend.
Tempted? These hot cross buns would be perfect in this hot cross cheese and bacon toastie recipe…
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Makes 12
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Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 25-30 min, plus rising and proving
Ingredients
- 275ml milk, warm (not hot)
- 7g fast-action dried yeast
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 325g strong white bread flour
- 300g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½-1 tsp hot chilli powder
- ¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp nigella seeds
- 3 medium free-range eggs (2 beaten together, plus 1 beaten separately for the glaze)
- 45g butter, softened
- 100g extra mature cheddar, finely crumbled
- 1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
For the cross topping
- 50g plain flour
- 50g icing sugar
- ¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 2½ tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
You’ll also need
- Baking sheet lined with compostable baking paper
- Piping bag fitted with a 5mm plain nozzle
Useful to have
- Stand mixer fitted with a dough hook
Method
- Put the warm milk, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate (the mix will go a bit frothy).
- Add the flours, salt, spices and the 2 beaten eggs to the yeast mixture, then bring together with a wooden spoon or mix on a low speed until the mixture begins to come together into a slightly sticky dough.
- If making by hand, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter, piece by piece, until combined. If making in a stand mixer, turn up to medium and add the butter in the same way. Either way, knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Add the cheese and chillies, then knead until evenly incorporated. Lightly grease the bowl, return the dough to it, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Turn out the dough onto the work surface (see tips) and divide into 12 even pieces. Shape into buns and set 2cm apart on the prepared baking sheet so they have space to expand. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove (rise a second time once shaped) at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put all the ingredients for the cross topping in a mixing bowl, whisk until smooth and thick, then scrape into the prepared piping bag.
- Brush the buns with beaten egg and allow to dry. Pipe over the crosses, then brush with egg again. Put the buns in the oven, turn it down to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked. Cool on a wire rack, then serve, fresh or toasted, with butter.
Recipe from March 2021 Issue
Nutrition
Nutrition: per serving
- Calories
- 257kcals
- Fat
- 9.7g (4.9g saturated)
- Protein
- 9.1g
- Carbohydrates
- 32.8g (8g sugars)
- Fibre
- 1.2g
- Salt
- 0.7g
delicious. tips
You shouldn’t need any flour during shaping as the dough’s high fat content will stop it sticking to the surface.
Keep the finished buns in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze in a sealed freezer bag for up to 1 month. Defrost, then toast to serve.