STUFFED HOT CROSS BUNS

Stuffed Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are one of those classics everyone knows… but not always for the right reasons.
Too often dry, too often underwhelming. This version changes that.
Soft, spiced buns loaded with citrus and dried fruit, finished with a silky orange and cinnamon pastry cream piped in after baking. And glazed with a tea and orange juice syrup.
No compromise on texture, no compromise on flavour—just a proper pastry chef take on a tradition.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Proof time 2 hours
Servings: 7 portions
Course: Snack
Cuisine: British
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Infused tea
  • 1 tea bag (orange base)
  • 250 ml water
  • 1 pc orange zest
Dough
  • 250 g bread flour
  • 30 g sugar
  • 4 g salt
  • 5 g instant yeast
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 egg (50 g)
  • 115 g milk (lukewarm)
  • 40 g unsalted butter (soft)
  • 120 g raisins or currants
  • 30 dried apricots (small dice)
Orange Cinnamon Pastry Cream
  • 250 g whole milk
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 Vanilla bean (split and seeded)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 50 g egg yolks
  • 50 g sugar
  • 20 g cornstarch
  • 20 g butter
  • 5 g vanilla
Cross Paste
  • 40 g flour
  • 40 g water
  • 5 g oil
  • 5 g sugar
Orange Glaze
  • 150 g infused tea (from raisins)
  • 100 g simple syrup
  • 50 g orange juice

Equipment

  • Stand mixer (with hook) or hand kneading
  • Mixing bowls
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • 2 Piping bags + tips (small round tip and Bismarck)
  • Baking tray + parchment
  • Microplane (for zest)

Method
 

Pastry Cream
  1. Heat milk, vanilla, and cinnamon → infuse 10–15 min
  2. Whisk yolks + orange zest + sugar + cornstarch
  3. Temper with milk → return to heat
  4. Cook until thick
  5. Add butter
  6. Chill completely
Infused tea
  1. In a bowl, add tea bag, orange peels and hot water
  2. Soak raisins + apricots (20 min), drain and keep the tea for glazing.
Dough
  1. Mix 1/4 of the sugar, yeast and lukewarm milk. Cover and let it develop for 10 mins.
  2. In the stand mixer with hook attachment, mix dry ingredients
  3. Add egg + yeast milk → form dough
  4. Knead, then add butter gradually
  5. Knead until smooth and elastic and window pane pass the test.
  6. Fold in fruits
  7. Place in a clean bowl and cover.
  8. Proof until doubled (1–1.5 hrs).
Shape
  1. Divide into 7 x 90 g
  2. Shape tight balls
  3. Place on tray and cover
  4. Proof 45–60 min
Cross & Bake
  1. Mix all ingredients and place into piping bag fitted with small round tip.
  2. Pipe crosses over each buns.
  3. Bake at 175°C / 350°F for 18–22 min
Glaze
  1. Add all ingredients into a small pot and reduce until syrupy and thick.
Fill and Glaze
  1. Loosen cold pastry cream
  2. Pipe into buns (bottom or side)
  3. Fill 20–30 g per bun
  4. Glaze with the Orange syrup and plate.
  5. Time to serve and enjoy, bon appétit.

Notes

Fill after baking → no leaks + cleaner structure
Slightly warm buns = easier piping
For cleaner filling → pipe from bottom
Soaking dried fruit = softer crumb

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