Why is a glaze applied to the top of a hot cross bun?
I am making hot cross buns and wondering why the buns have to have a glaze... Any scientific answer or is it just because it's nicer?
Best Answer
I would say that it's not required for any scientific reason. I believe that, traditionally, it's common to put a sweet topping to add an extra hint of sweetness to the buns, which are generally not very sweet themselves.
It may be in the US that it's more common to make the cross out of the glaze rather than creating a cross in the dough using a paste. When I found recipes from England (along with the one you linked from Australia), they both use the flour paste with a light glaze over the entire bun. This BBC recipe, specifically, uses a glaze made from apricot jam, which sounds very nice.
The American recipes tend to not have an all-over glaze, preferring to simplify the preparation process by making the cross with a white sugar icing after the baking process is completed, though (as seen as an option in this Martha Stewart recipe) you could certainly glaze the entire thing, as if it were a doughnut... though this would leave it without the traditional white "cross" on top.
But, as you can see from the images of the American recipes, provided there's a good eggwash before baking to make the buns golden, they should also get a nice shine, so the glaze shouldn't be necessary for that reason... and without, I'd think it would make them easier to handle, as they're not as sticky all over.
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Quick Answer about "Why is a glaze applied to the top of a hot cross bun?"
The flour and water paste is piped over the buns before they're baked – it doesn't brown in the oven so you get a lovely white cross on the finished HCBs. Bake and glaze: the buns are baked until golden at 180C fan. The warm buns can be brushed with a glaze of apricot jam or syrup to give them a glossy appearance.What do you put on top of hot cross buns?
Put half a hot cross bun on two plates, add some slices of banana and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle over some caramel sauce and add some walnuts.How do you glaze a bun?
Bake the buns for 15 minutes near the centre of the oven. Then, while they're cooking make the glaze in a small saucepan by slowly melting together the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water over a gentle heat until the sugar granules have dissolved and you have a clear syrup.What is the white stuff on top of hot cross buns?
Pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until buns are cooked through. Make glaze: Place water (1/3 cup water) and sugar (2 tbsp caster sugar) into a small saucepan over low heat.Why are my hot cross buns hard on top?
Gluten is the protein in the flour that stretches as you knead it, and this provides structure to the buns. If the gluten is not worked sufficiently the buns can be hard. However fat (from the butter and egg yolk) and sugar can both retard gluten development so sometimes a little extra kneading is required.Amazing Hot Cross Buns Recipe
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Answer 2
British hot cross buns traditionally have the cross made of a flour & water paste then have a shiny apricot glaze added post baking. It adds shine & a little fruity sweetness. It can make them very sticky though! Best to just brush the glaze over the very top & leave the sides so as to be less sticky to pick up :)
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