Maria said...
April 8, 2009 at 2:26 pm

Wow, the buns are gorgeous! Great job and thanks for sharing the recipe!

Rachel said...
April 8, 2009 at 2:32 pm

Thank you so much! I was just searching this your magnificent site today looking for a recipe! I am very excited to have some hot out of the oven.

Renato said...
April 8, 2009 at 3:09 pm

Hi,
Wonderful idea, I didn’t know that this sugar bread is traditional in Easter time, very pretty.

In Portugal the traditional in Easter (Páscoa) is the “Folar” (http://paobolosecia.blogspot.com/2009/04/folar-de-pascoa.html), with eggs on top.

I had bought your book, arrived yesterday. I read the first 40 pages, and I’m loving it.
Today I’d made the first bread from it. The dough was a little wet, because the bread spreads sideways. I had enough flour when shaping. Next time I’ll add a little more flour when mixing the dough.
The top was very crispy, the crumb was very soft and elastic, but the base of the bread was thin and humidly. I baked on a silicone sheet I don’t have a baking stone, yet.

Thanks

Liz C said...
April 8, 2009 at 3:09 pm

Would honey work as a sub for the golden syrup? Or perhaps Karo syrup?

Kate said...
April 8, 2009 at 3:31 pm

Thanks!! I was searching for a way to do this the other day – I ended up making some hot choc buns using plain white bread dough.

Di said...
April 8, 2009 at 4:27 pm

I *finally* got your book! I’m so excited to try your recipes. Thanks for writing something that a working mom might be able to do!

Polly said...
April 8, 2009 at 6:51 pm

your book has changed my life. i’m baking a loaf of *whole wheat sandwich bread* right now. when I say the next thing i may sound like a fool or homemaker, neither of which i am: my 2 year old son literally [his word] asks for it by name.

Babystepper said...
April 8, 2009 at 7:04 pm

I just got your book this week, and I was just thinking today, “I wonder if they’ve got a recipe in the book for hot cross buns?”

Very timely. Thanks!

Marcia Cooke said...
April 8, 2009 at 7:23 pm

Thanks so much….HCB’s are next on my list for this week’s baking. Will try these tomorrow!

zoe said...
April 8, 2009 at 10:41 pm

Hi Renato,

Your Easter bread sounds wonderful. You may want to watch one of the videos we’ve done to see what the bread dough should look like. This may help you when mixing up your next batch. http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?page_id=63

Hi Liz C,

Yes, I would use honey if you don’t have Lyle’s golden syrup.

Thank you all and Happy Easter!

Zoë

Dana Zia said...
April 8, 2009 at 10:48 pm

Was just reading your book last night looking for a hot crossed buns recipe! And here you are, perfect as usual. I will give this a go. Hoppy Easter!

TiV said...
April 8, 2009 at 11:11 pm

Hello! I did not quite understand the meaning of the flour paste. Have never seen it before. Is it just to mark the place where the icing goes or?.. What if I do not use flour paste at all, just icing?

jeff said...
April 9, 2009 at 5:05 am

Dana: Hoppy Easter to you too!

TiV: Looks like the flour paste raises and defines the cross– sure, you can skip it and just use icing but it won’t be quite so dramatic.

zoe said...
April 9, 2009 at 5:12 am

Hi TIV,

Honestly, I had the same question, which is why I tried it. In England mostly, they use this flour paste instead of the icing. So I was really gilding the lily, as they say. You can skip the paste for sure!

I added a picture so you can see that the paste bakes on in a cross pattern.

Have a great holiday! Zoë

coffeechris said...
April 9, 2009 at 7:35 am

WOW – thanks – Just was looking in your book for the recipe, last night and Viola – went to your blog and here it is! Happy Easter.

Stephanie said...
April 9, 2009 at 7:45 am

How long do you bake these for? They look delicious!

zoe said...
April 9, 2009 at 7:48 am

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks for catching that for me! I added the baking time to the post.

Happy Easter, Zoë

Jennifer said...
April 9, 2009 at 10:40 am

Jeff, I have made a few of your breads already and each time I make it, I get so excited that I actually created it!

I’ve taken the basic recipe, made cheese bread, cinnamon swirl bread, made it into biscuits!!

These hot cross buns look amazing!! Thanks so much!!

Dave said...
April 9, 2009 at 11:58 am

Thanks! I’ve just recently discovered your website and will be buying your book soon. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.

Lori said...
April 9, 2009 at 1:29 pm

I have been spending some quality time with your book. I borrowed it from the library but I think I need to own it. I just love it! I made another bread from the dough cottage cheese and dill bread. You and Jeff produced an amazing book with some seriously good ideas!

Matt said...
April 9, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Heh! We made a batch of hot cross buns earlier this week using the challah recipe as a base (substituting milk for water and a cup of plain flour for wholemeal), but with exactly the same combination of fruit and spices.

We used a glaze of 4 tbsp milk and 3 tbsp sugar; boil, simmer a minute or so til syrupy, brush over the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. They were fantastic!

Will try this brioche version today – just need to find a store that’s open on Good Friday so I can get more eggs…

zoe said...
April 9, 2009 at 9:15 pm

Thank you all and have a wonderful Easter!

Matt, I will give your glaze a try, it sounds great!

Zoë

Bianca said...
April 10, 2009 at 4:13 am

This looks great! I made some HCBs this week and just used the basic bread mix, threw in a handful of caster sugar, some mixed spice and a cup of mixed dried fruit. They turned out great!

For the glaze I used 3 tablespoons of caster sugar, 1 tsp of mixed spice and about 1/3 cup of water, heated on the stove while the buns are cooking and then brushed on the hot buns. In Australia we don’t have the icing on our buns, just the flour paste cross.

I LOVE your book!

Jody said...
April 10, 2009 at 5:37 am

Oh those look absolutely delicious. Damnit tho I am on a diet.

Christy said...
April 10, 2009 at 9:35 am

Looks yummy!

Brenda said...
April 10, 2009 at 4:16 pm

These look AMAZING! I’m just getting started with your bread baking method and your book and am LOVING it!! Thank you for the wonderful blog sites and I look forward to your next book.

laura said...
April 10, 2009 at 5:40 pm

Made the hot cross buns as a treat for my fellow choir members after the church service today. They were very easy to maek and came out not only looking good, but tasted quite well

Matt said...
April 10, 2009 at 11:16 pm

Well, just made this brioche version, and it leaves the challah version I made earlier for dead. So light, but so rich – and so easy! Think we’ll stick with the milk / sugar glaze instead of golden syrup, though. Might experiment with doubling the fruit quantity, too.

Mara said...
April 11, 2009 at 6:04 am

These turned out fabulous! My only slight issues was that I might cut back a bit on the currants next time. Mine were pretty dry, so they really filled up a cup measure and then once they rehydrated in the dough — there were currants everywhere. Live and learn — choose your currants carefully. I used honey since I couldn’t find my jar of Lyle’s and served them with Trader Joe’s Lemon Curd. Absolutely delicious! I just love this brioche dough. It bakes up so tender and soft. It makes AMAZING Sticky Rolls, too.

Rock on, Zoe!

Elizabeth M said...
April 11, 2009 at 8:06 am

Sweet roll question. For these HCB or the pecan caramel rolls in the book (p 187), is there any way they could be partially made the day before? I’d love hot, fresh buns for Easter morning breakfast, but don’t want to get up before dawn to shape/rest them, or have the family wait too long to eat. Could the pecan rolls be rolled, cut and in the pan – then rest in the fridge overnight? If so, how long would you suggest for the rest in the morning before baking? Similar question for the HCB — could they be formed and rest? Or for either or both, would it be best to actually parbake them and the reheat/finish in the morning? If that’s the case, any suggestion of timing and would they have to be in the fridge overnight once parbaked? Sorry for so many questions. I love your book and I want to have the BEST use of these recipes for a holiday breakfast!

Rosemary C said...
April 11, 2009 at 8:29 am

Hi Elizabeth,
I did this last year at Easter. I did all the shaping the night before and let them rise in the fridge. Took them out, went to church, and then baked them. Excellent!!! Happy Springtime to all. Jody, forget the diet for the day. I always thing about all those passengers on the Titanic who passed on the dessert cart. That’s my philosophy and I am sticking to it!!!

Victoria said...
April 11, 2009 at 6:36 pm

Hi Zoe,

I am an expat Aussie and hotcross buns are available in Australian supermarkets and bakeries (of which there are thousands!) from January through to April every year. Since moving here I really missed them so I have been making them myself for the last five years since the ones I found here are too sweet! You would never find frosted crosses on them in Australia or the UK like you do here but that is the American penchant for all things sweet! I always just use a flour and water paste flavored with a little Grand Marnier for the crosses before baking and then brush with a simple water and sugar glaze after they have come out of the oven-but I do like the idea of using the golden syrup (treacle)for the glaze and will do that next time. The only thing that I never liked about the hotcross buns at home was the peel (orange and lemon), yuk, yuk! Now that I make them myself I never have to worry about that!

Gail O said...
April 11, 2009 at 8:17 pm

Thanks for the recipe. I had our Sunday School class make these using Jeff’s suggestions a couple of weeks ago. I used the Challah recipe. The kids made a batch and while the dough was resting, I had them ice a couple of dozen of the buns that I had made the day before. Lots of fun and only a little messy. We then served them to our small congregation with soup. They were all eaten within minutes!

zoe said...
April 11, 2009 at 9:59 pm

Hi Elizabeth,

So sorry to get back to you so late. I hope you saw Rosemary’s note and went ahead and formed your buns tonight! You can just let them rise on the counter tomorrow morning while your oven is preheating.

Happy Easter! Zoë

zoe said...
April 11, 2009 at 10:00 pm

Happy Easter Everyone,

Thank you for sharing your favorite HCB ideas with us! Have a wonderful day!

Happy Baking!

Zoë

Elizabeth M said...
April 12, 2009 at 9:13 am

Zoe,
No reason to apologize. I’m amazed at how responsive you and Jeff are to our comments and suggestions here!
I did see Rosemary’s suggestion. I did the Challah dough for both pastries.
For the HCB, I shaped the buns, placed them on the silpat, covered with plastic wrap, and put the whole sheet pan in the fridge overnight. They were wonderful! I don’t know how to post an image without a Web site.
The caramel rolls (no pecans for my kids) were wonderful too. They looked so small in the pan last night though. I did every step up to the baking last night. So they too were in the pan (on the caramel topping) in the fridge overnight. They rose and filled the pan beautifully even in the fridge. This morning I took them out as soon as I was up, and they were in the oven before the kids had even finished finding the eggs!
I made a loaf of the remaining HCB dough and a turban-style cinnamon bread and we’re bringing both to the family dinner (along with some light wheat bread).
Happy Easter to all!

Theron said...
April 12, 2009 at 3:07 pm

Is there a way to half the recipe for the dough?

jeff said...
April 13, 2009 at 4:56 am

Elizabeth: Congrats on all your successful experiments!

Theron: Yes, just go ahead and half it.

madelaine Howard said...
April 13, 2009 at 6:28 pm

Hi,

I just have a question about the recipe above.

The brioche recipe says that it makes 4 loaves. When you add all the spices, etc to make the HCBs, do you add them to the whole lot of the brioche dough, or do you take out the 1 pound piece of dough and add everything to that?

Thanks

zoe said...
April 14, 2009 at 5:24 am

Hi Madelaine,

Great question! I was making enough to feed a generation of relatives and mixed up a whole batch of brioche. Our recipes can be divided and then you would want to divide the amount of spices and currants as well.

Thank you! Zoë

Betsey said...
April 15, 2009 at 6:24 am

I made some hot cross buns using the challah recipe. I pulled off a 1 pound piece, worked in some spices and shaped and let rise. They baked up beautifully and then I made the challah for Easter dinner. It just isn’t Good Friday without Hot Cross buns and they were fabulous!

jeff said...
April 15, 2009 at 9:04 am

Fantastic!

middle of no where! said...
April 16, 2009 at 7:59 pm

This made me laugh, I have had the book for a hile and have been willing to share what I make with some friends. They brought me soem hot cross hockey pucks on Easter. That was their words! And they were hockey pucks for sure, she said it was a huge event to make. I am going to have to make this version and share with them soon! I love the Brioche.

jeff said...
April 17, 2009 at 5:34 am

Let us know how they come out— I promise they won’t be hockey pucks!

Tammy Gardner said...
April 17, 2009 at 7:34 am

Is it possible to reduce the amount of yeast in the bread? It’s just that when I make kneaded bread, I use an eighth of a teaspoon of yeast for 1 1/2 pounds of dough. I’m going to try your recipe that I found on the Mother Earth News website. Thank you.

Tammy Gardner said...
April 17, 2009 at 7:54 am

I should add that I am probably going to get the book, I just have to wait until I have the money. It’ll be awhile. Thank you for allowing the main recipe to be printed in that magazine.

jeff said...
April 17, 2009 at 11:59 am

Tammy: Yeast can definitely be reduced, but the resting times increase. Check out: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=85

Judy K said...
April 18, 2009 at 9:24 am

Hi Everyone, This is a wonderful recipe but I’m not a huge nutmeg fan so I improvised. Here’s a great tip if you’re going to change the seasoning in a bread dough recipe…break off a small (about 1 oz.) piece of dough and microwave it on high for about 30 seconds or until firm to the touch. I know some cooks taste their raw dough and I don’t advocate cooking bread, or pretty much anything else, in the microwave. But this is a really good way to know if you need a little more of this or that in the dough. The texture will not represent the final product but the taste will.

Shannon said...
April 23, 2009 at 12:33 pm

I saw on tv that in NY City they used 00 flour. I can get this and would like to make pizza with it. Can I make it using the recipes in your book with this flour?
Shannon

jeff said...
April 24, 2009 at 6:50 am

00 flour is very low in protein, and makes a very tender (not stretchy) Italian-style pizza crust. It doesn’t work will for loaves, again because of the low protein.

But it makes great pizza!

Esther Selman said...
April 26, 2009 at 4:44 pm

This looks delicious. This morning I mixed in dried blueberries from Trader Joe’s instead of raisins for Judy’s boardroom bread and the result was heavenly.

zoe said...
April 26, 2009 at 7:40 pm

Hi Esther,

That sounds wonderful. A wonderful variation to the raisin bread!

Thanks for sharing the idea.

Zoë

Bonnie said...
April 27, 2009 at 6:44 pm

I made hot cross buns using a traditional recipe. I wish now I thought to used the brioche dough, having used it for so many other things. Mine came out OK – but I know it would have been softer and richer with the brioche dough. I made mine with a combination of thompson and golden raisins, currents, chopped dried cranberries, and chopped dried apricots too. I already plan on getting your new book when it comes out. One request though, thanks to my Irish husbands potato loving family, I have developed a passion for potato bread of many varieties. Could you consider that for another type of no knead bread?

jeff said...
April 27, 2009 at 6:53 pm

Hi Bonnie: We’ve got 3 recipes in the book with potato:

Eastern European Potato-Rye Bread

Roasted Garlic Potato Bread

Rustic Wild Mushroom and Potato Pizza Provencal

Give them a try!

Kandice Barnes said...
May 13, 2009 at 12:48 pm

Someone asked me about the type of yeast that is best for your recipes. He had heard that he should use instant yeast. I didn’t recall seeing this in any posts. Can you let me know what kind of yeast to use for these recipes?

Kandice said...
May 13, 2009 at 12:51 pm

Oh, and one other thing….my hub and kids are not big bread eaters. Does the bread you make from these recipes freeze well?

zoe said...
May 13, 2009 at 2:55 pm

Hi Kandice,

You can tell your friend that any yeast will work well with the recipe.

You can either freeze the dough or the baked bread. Just wrap it very well!

Thanks, Zoë

Kelly said...
May 27, 2009 at 2:57 pm

Here’s my HCB recipe – it is the closest thing to the UK/NZ/Aussie version I’ve been able to recreate in terms of flavor – it’s taken me about 14 batches of HCBs before I found something even close to what I remembered – but like Victoria my husband doesn’t like the bits of peel (but I like that flavor) besides finding mixed peel like at home is impossible. Orange zest seems to impart a better flavor anyway. Fresh spices are the key – love Penzies Spices. The Authentic Colonial HCB version should have the soft feather light texture of a parker house roll with sweet glaze , but the spices are more like stollen (light years from a hockey puck with icing you find in the us supermarkets). My tradition has been to make them in huge batches and give to neighbors on good friday. I pretty much stay up all night to do so, so I like the idea of the 5 minute bread solution to streamline my easter baking

These ARE soft and tender and because they don’t have icing, you can toast them the next day – they also freeze and toast well. I’d be interested now to try it with your Brioche recipe and compare?

Kelly’s Authentic Aussie Hot cross Buns (12):
2.25 tsp yeast
4 tbs butter
1.3 cups milk
.3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
.25 tsp nutmeg
.25 tsp all spice
.5 tsp ground cloves
.5 tsp ginger
3 tsp ground cinnamon
oranage zest from one med orange ( or .25 cup of mixed peel – if you can get it)
1tsp table salt
1 egg
3-4 cups plain AP flour
.3 cup currants

Crosses:
1 Tbs Sugar
.25 cup flour
.25 tbs vanilla or grand marnier
water (to make a paste 5:3 ratio flour to water)

Glaze:
1 tbs sugar
2tsp unflavored gelatine
3 Tbs boiling water

In bread machine or mixer add ingredients (except currants) in order listed. Mix for 6 mins max – over this will toughen texture. add curreants at 3 min mark. Prove until doubled ~ 2 hours and divide into 12ths – use scale to get equal size. Place on baking tray with parchment paper. At this point can refrigerate or freeze. Bring to room temp and proove rolls till doubled in size ~ 2 hours. Mix paste for crosses and pipe crosses on on rolls – a ziplock baggie with corner snipped out works well. Bake 375F 190C for 30 minutes. While baking, mix glaze and heat in microwave till dissolved. Brush over hot rolls. Wait for glaze to cool and set and serve buns while warm with butter. YUM!

zoe said...
May 27, 2009 at 8:06 pm

Hi Kelly,

This is great, thank you so much for sharing your recipe! They sound wonderful! The glaze is so intriguing.

Cheers, Zoë

Kelly said...
May 28, 2009 at 5:13 pm

yes also surprising that when toasted the glaze doesn’t tend to burn, just gets a little sticky…it makes lovely shiny buns.

sarah sorge said...
July 20, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Zoe thank you so much for posting these! growing up in australia they were my all time fave! we cut them in half and butter them and eat them hot. soo good, i couldn’t wait till Easter and these would come out on the grocery shelves.
P.S next time you feel commonwealthy, i would love to see your take on the good old fashioned crumpet!
lots of love
sarah sorge.x

zoe said...
July 20, 2009 at 8:31 pm

Hi Sarah,

I love crumpets, I’ll have to make some soon!

Thanks! Zoë

kelly said...
March 21, 2010 at 10:41 am

FYI, the recipe I posted above does not translate well to stored dough, it comes out very heavy/chewy. I think the held dough converts the flour to gluten, instead of being mostly steam in the original recipe. Think I’ll try the Challa loaf as my next basis of reference. I want light and fluffy.

Note the flavor is still very good, however you do want to use the freshest spices. I used last years, and though it was good, it was duller than I remember. Of for a trip to Penzies!

bridgit said...
March 21, 2010 at 10:50 am

I would like to make these for Easter using the Oatmeal Date Bread (use currants instead of dates, add spices, omit walnuts) from HBin5. However, I would like to add 2 eggs. By how much should I reduce the water? 1/3 cup? 1/2? Any thoughts? Thanks for your great recipes… they keep my family & friends deliciously and healthfully fed!

jeff said...
March 21, 2010 at 5:32 pm

Kelly: Great place, Penzies… Jeff

jeff said...
March 21, 2010 at 5:33 pm

Bridgit: You should be OK assuming about 1/8 cup per egg, increase the water by that amount. So 1/4 cup should do it. Glad the recipes are working for you. Jeff

Kelly said...
April 1, 2010 at 11:44 pm

Hello there it’s 1.43 am Good Friday morning and I am waiting for the HCB (challah) to rise on my counter. I do this every year, make huge batches of HCBs and give them to neighbors, this year husband has asked to take some to his work. The 5minsaday method is great, it took far less time to assemble. I’m only doing it this late because I didn’t start till after dinner and after I cleaned up my kitchen and got the toodler to bed…besides hot cross buns have to be hot, and my family loves waking up to the smell – its sort of traddition. Anyway, I’m here and just thinking of you guys and so glad I have your books in my life. You’ll be pleased to know that pretty much everyone I come in contact with now has heard of your books and a good many of them have sampled your bread Happy Easter.

jeff said...
April 2, 2010 at 8:41 am

Thanks Kelly- have a great Easter. Thanks for spreading the word about the versatility of the Challah dough. Jeff

Lisa said...
April 3, 2010 at 2:49 pm

Just finished HCB made from the 100% whole wheat brioche in HBin5. My picky 13 yr old , who “doesn’t do whole wheat” just scarfed down two and wanted more!! Thanks for the great recipe!

jeff said...
April 3, 2010 at 5:28 pm

Excellent, glad whole grain HCB worked for you!