Yuzu & Honey Hot Cross Buns from Yutaka

It’s coming up to Easter which means various flavours of Hot Cross Buns are now available in the shops. Rather than buying some this year why not try to make some?

Yutaka have got a tangy citrus syrup called Yuzu and I had a chance to make some hot cross buns using it.

The Yuzu gives them a zesty tang, whilst the honey imparts an additional depth of flavour.

Yuzu & Honey Hot Cross Buns

Makes 15-20

Ingredients

For the buns:

· 575g strong bread flour
· 75g caster sugar
· 75g sultanas
· 50g mixed peel
· 7g quick working yeast
· 1 tsp salt
· ½ tsp ground nutmeg
· ½ tsp ground cinnamon
· 250ml milk
· 3 tbsp honey
· 1½ tbsp. Yutaka Yuzu
· 2 tbsp water
· Zest of 2 lemons
· 50g butter
· 2 eggs, beaten

For the cross:

. 75g plain flour
. 5 -7 tbsp water

For the glaze:

. 1 tbsp caster sugar
. 1 tbsp water

Method

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, honey, yuzu, water, lemon zest and butter stirring constantly until butter has melted. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes then pour into a well in the centre of the flour mix.

Combine using a wooden spoon then use your hands until the ingredients are all combined. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy.

Place your dough in a greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size. (Takes about an hour). Then add your sultanas and mixed peel whilst still in the bowl, knead to combine all the ingredients and leave once again to rise for about an hour. Prevent over kneading to ensure the buns don’t turn out hard. Make sure the cling film is also greased to avoid a crust forming on your dough.

Once the dough has risen again, divide into 15-20 pieces and roll into smooth balls. To have equal size buns I weighed mine at about 75 grams each which made 15 buns. Line them up on parchment-lined baking trays allowing enough space for them to once again expand. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for a further hour.

Preheat oven to 220c or gas mark seven. Mix the flour for the cross with some water to make a basic dough. I tried the piping bag method to pipe the crosses but found it hard. I rolled out the dough and cut thin strips which I placed on the buns.

You can brush buns beaten egg to give a glaze.

Bake for around 20 mins or until buns are golden brown on top. Remove pan from the oven and let buns cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

Mix the caster sugar with boiling water and, once buns have cooled a little, brush with glaze.

Rather than some of the sweet hot cross buns you buy from the shop, these one have the perfect balance. They are not sweet.  You can add in more cinnamon and nutmeg to give them more spice.

I baked them for slightly longer (faulty timer!) hence why they are more on the brown side.

These taste perfect warm with a condiment of your choice.

Yutaka is the UK’s leading Japanese food company with its range of authentic, traditional ingredients that allow you to make everything from sushi to delicious Katsu curry in the comfort of your own home.

If you manage to make these please let me know how you got on.

Enjoy!

Neha x

Yutaka sent me the ingredients for the hot cross buns.