Easter is upon us and as the super stores start to stack their aisles with Easter eggs, at Call Me Fudge we are busy producing a selection of seasonal Easter fudge recipes to choose from. Queue, the classic hot cross bun. A traditional Easter time treat served with a slathering of butter and a hot cup of tea.
This Easter, why not add them into our favorite double cream fudge recipe? With dried fruit and spices, this delicious hot cross bun fudge is absolutely exquisite and a must try for this season!
Read on to find out how you can make your own batch.
What is a hot cross bun?
A hot cross bun is similar to that of a fruit loaf or fruit bun. It is essentially a soft and sweet bready bun, filled with dried fruit and spices.
The hot cross bun is often baked in batches and sold as a pull apart bun pack. Each individual bun has a white piped cross on the top, which glistens with glaze from apricot jam.
The cross on the bun is a mixture of flour and water that has been placed into a piping bag, and made into the shape of a cross – symbolic of the Jesus’s crucification on Good Friday.
What are hot cross buns called in America?
In America, hot cross buns are known as Easter buns but have the same universal taste and look as a British hot cross bun.
Hot Cross bun fudge recipe
We’ve taken the classic warming flavors of the hot cross bun, and introduced it into our double cream fudge. A little sprinkle of spices, dried fruit and some fresh fruit zest will certainly please your senses.
You can also add a bit more texture by adding pieces of actual hot cross bun – we’ve done this as hot cross buns are plentiful in our household during the Easter season.
Equipment you will need to make hot cross bun fudge
- Measuring cups
- Large heavy bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- A heatproof mat
- Silicone spatula
- Zester/ fine grater
- 6x6inch baking tray lined with parchment paper
- Disposable piping bag/ Piping bag with fine tip
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- An airtight container
Hot Cross Bun Fudge Recipe | Easter Fudge
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 36 pieces 1x
Ingredients
Ingredients you will need for hot cross bun fudge
- 2 + 1/4 cups demerara sugar
- 1 + 1/4 cups double cream/ heavy cream
- 1/2 cup golden syrup
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
- 1/4 TSP Mixed spice
- 1/4 cup dried fruit (of your choice)
- Zest of half an orange
Optional:
- 2 Hot cross buns (pulled into mini pieces)
Ingredients for the cross icing:
- 1/2 cup royal icing powder
- 2 TBSP Orange juice
Instructions
- In the large saucepan, pour in your double cream, demerara sugar, butter and golden syrup.
- Place the pan on a low heat and start to stir the ingredients gently using your wooden spoon.
- After 5 minutes, or when your the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat to medium.Pro Tip: You’ll know when the sugar has dissolved when the sugar syrup on the back of the wooden spoon is silky smooth with no sugar crystals.
- Keep stirring the golden mixture until it starts to boil.
- You’ll notice that the mixture will start to expand and bubble rapidly. Stop stirring at this point. Let the fudge mixture boil for 5-10 minutes, during this time insert you candy thermometer.
- When the candy thermometer reads 234 and 237 °F/ 112 and 114 °C, remove it from the heat and place onto the heatproof mat.
- You’ll need to wait for the mixture to cool down for about 10 minutes or until the candy thermometer reads 109 to 113 °F/ 43 to 45 °C.
- Now you can add in the vanilla extract and beat the fudge with your wooden spoon, until it thickens up and starts to loose its luscious sheen. This may take 15-20 minutes.
- When the mixture is smooth and matte, add in the spices, dried fruit and zest. If you’ve also chosen to add in actual hot cross bun pieces too, now is the best time to add these in.
- Plop the fudge mixture into the lined baking tray, scape the pan with your silicone spatula and evenly spread the fudge. Let the fudge cool completely before placing it into the fridge to set further. You want the fudge to be nice and cold for when you come to pipe the cross on.
- Leave to set for 2/3 hours in the refrigerator.
- Once, it has set you can pull it out with the overhanging sides of parchment paper and place onto the cutting board.
- Take the sharp knife and cut into 1 inch squares. You should be able to get 36 pieces out of this recipe.
- Optional step, make icing for cross. Now, make up the royal icing. In a large bowl stir together the royal icing mix and orange juice together until a paste forms.
- Pop this icing into the piping bag and pipe a cross onto each individual fudge square.
- Let these set for another hour and you’re good to serve.
- Place them into an airtight container, as this help to keep your fudge fresh for up to 2-3 weeks.
If you liked this recipe, we’re sure you love our apple pie fudge recipe! Check it out now.
FAQs
Are hot cross buns sold all year round?
Hot cross buns are sold all year round, especially in the UK. They are eaten just like a fruit cake, however they are most popular at Easter time.
How do you serve hot cross buns?
In our opinion, the best way to serve hot cross buns is toasted with butter and a selection of jam. That said, some people prefer them fresh, straight out of the pack or plain without any fruit preserves.
What is the secret to creamy fudge?
The secret to creamy fudge is knowing when it is appropriate to start beating the fudge, because if you don’t beat the fudge for long enough, then it can become grainy. The perfect time to beat fudge is when a sugar thermometer reads 109 to 113 °F/ 43 to 45 °C.
You should beat the fudge with a wooden spoon for about 20 minutes or until the fudge is thick and no longer shiny.
In Summary
Complete with a symbolic cross, our hot cross bun fudge is a great gift to give this easter season. We hope you’ve enjoyed following this recipe along with our trail of other easter fudge recipes.
Check our other Easter fudge recipes now:
