Lemon Poppy Seed Hot Cross Buns
Bright, zesty, and equally perfect for Easter, Mother's Day or summer months, Lemon Poppy Seed Hot Cross Buns are a delicious twist on the classic Easter bake. Whether you're treating a lemon lover or baking something a little different for Easter brunch, these buns combine the tangy freshness of citrus with the soft, fluffy texture we all love. Trust me, they’ll be the star of any occasion!
Equipment
- Large Roasting Tray
Ingredients
- 110 g caster sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 650 g strong bread flour
- 10 g fast-action yeast a.k.a instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 360 ml milk
- 3 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 50 g butter softened
- 1 egg medium
- 130 g citrus peel lemon peel or mixed peel, aka candied peel
For The Crosses:
- 75 g flour
- 60 ml water
For The Lemon Glaze:
- 70 ml lemon juice
- 40 g caster sugar
- extra poppy seeds and peel to decorate, optional
Instructions
Lemon Poppy Seed Hot Cross Bun Dough:
- Make lemon sugar, by rubbing the lemon zest into caster sugar - this will release the oils from the zest, enhancing the lemony flavour in your buns.
- Place the flour, yeast, salt and lemon sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix to combine.
- Add the milk, egg, mixed peel and poppy seeds, and mix in your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on low-medium speed until rough dough forms and there are no pockets of dry flour.
- One small bit at a time, start adding the softened butter. Keep running your stand mixer until your dough feels very elastic and looks shiny and smooth - it should take about 10 minutes on medium speed.
- Scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape a ball. Place it in a lightly greased large bowl, cover with cling film (plastic wrap) or a damp tea towel and leave in a warm spot to rise for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in volume.
- In the meantime, line a large roasting tray (baking tray with ligh rims) measuring approximately 32 x 24cm (9 x 13 inches) with parchment paper.
- When the dough has risen, knock the air out of the dough and scoop it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 pieces of equal weight.
- Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball, by rolling each ball on the kitchen surface cupping it with your palm. You should have a smooth surface on top of the buns.
- Arrange them in the prepared baking tray - we placed them in a 3x4 matrix, leaving a little space in between for them to rise.
- Cover the top of the tray with plastic wrap (if you used a low-rimmed tray, oil some cling film and place it gently on top of the buns). Leave them to proof for approx 45 minutes, or until they bulk up by about 70-75%.
Crosses:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- For the crosses, mix the flour with water to create a thick paste - it should be of pipeable consistency.
- Once the buns have finished their second rise, pipe the crosses over them.
- Bake the hot cross buns for 22-25 minutes.
Lemon Glaze:
- In the meantime, mix the lemon juice and caster sugar in a small saucepan, until sugar dissolves and the syrup starts bubbling around the edges. Boil it for 1 minute, then take it off heat, and set aside.
- Once baked, take the buns out of the oven and brush them with the lemon syrup. If you wish, scatter some extra poppy seeds and lemon peel on top to decorate. But don't delay it, you want them to stick to the glaze.
- Enjoy these hot cross buns warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 9gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 149mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 188IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!