Easter Carrot and Ginger Hot Cross Buns
A delightful twist on the traditional sweet bun, blending flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, grated carrots, and crystallized ginger for a festive treat.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups strong bread flour
- ⅓ cup caster sugar
- 2¼ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup milk plus 2 tbsp
- 3½ tbsp butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 carrots, grated
- ⅔ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
- Sunflower oil, for oiling the bowl
- ¾ cup plain flour (all-purpose) for the crosses
- 2 tbsp apricot jam for glaze
Instructions
Preparation
- Scald the milk in a small saucepan, remove from heat, stir in the butter, and let it cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and spices.
- When the milk reaches about 37°C/98.6°F, pour it into a well in the dry ingredients, add the egg, and mix into a sticky dough.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface or with a dough hook until smooth, about 10 minutes by hand or 5–7 minutes by machine.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, coat it with oil, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Grate and squeeze the carrot to remove excess moisture, then knead it into the dough with the raisins and crystallized ginger.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, shape into buns, place on the trays, cover, and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Mix the cross flour with water to make a thick paste, pipe crosses over the buns, then bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Warm the apricot jam, brush it over the warm buns, and let them cool on a wire rack.
Notes
These buns are best served warm, straight from the oven, or slightly toasted with butter. They can also be customized with favorite spices or additional zest from citrus fruits.