Flaky ready rolled puff pastry filled with a hot cross bun inspired whipped cream and a sprinkle of fresh orange zest, finished with a light dusting of icing sugar. This is the perfect quick and easy bake to make, made even easier with the use of ready made pastry. This makes the perfect springtime afternoon treat or can be the centrepiece of your Easter brunch.
I love how quick and easy this recipe is to make; this is mainly down to the pre-made pastry used for the shapes. Instead of spending hours attempting to get the perfect puff, all you have to do is get the pastry out of the fridge for roughly 10 minutes to warm up and gently unroll. If using straight out of the freezer, ensure that you defrost thoroughly. Allow it it to come to come to room temperature before you start making.
Hot cross bun
You can make these any shape that you like, but for these, I went for a vol au vents inspired shape. A circular shape, with a little well in the middle for the filling to sit. To make this I opened up my pastry sheet and cut out circles. Each pastry will need 2 circles, so try to make an even number. Cut a smaller circle out of half of the shapes, directly in the centre. Place a circle with a cut out centre on top of a full circle. Using a fork, pierce holes into the centre circle and brush with a little bit of milk. Repeat this with all of the shapes. This may sound complicated but trust me, this process is really straight forward.
If you prefer, you can cut out any shape using the pastry, as long as it can be filled with the cream.
The wash is a really important step because it helps to give your bake that brown colouring and ensures you end up with crispy pastry. You can either use an ‘egg wash’, where you whisk an egg and gently rub this on the top of the pastry. Or a ‘milk wash’, in which you brush milk on top of the pastry shapes. Although they will both give the same results and is just a matter of which ingredients you prefer to use.
Hot cross bun
Once cooked, allow them to them cool. Use a sharp knife and gently run this along the smaller circle in the circle. It shouldn’t have risen as much and be easy to find. After running the knife around it, it should be quite easy to remove. Take it out and leave on the side. You won’t be needing this anymore as this whole is where your filling is going to go. Make sure that the pastry is completely cool before filling.
Now it’s time to make the filling. Start by placing the cream into a bowl and using an electric mixer, whisk until the cream starts to thicken. I always struggle with getting it in that perfect spot, just before it’s over whipped. Whip it too much and too much air escapes causing it to become grainy and flat, not mixing it enough with leave it too runny. You want it to be thick and able to hold its own shape. I’m always a little over cautious and go super slow. I normally whisk on the lowest setting, checking it regularly to get the perfect spot. Once everything is mixed, lightly stir through the ground mixed spice with a spoon until it runs through evenly.
Lightly dust the pastry shapes with icing sugar. Place roughly a teaspoon into the centre of the pastry shape and top with a some fresh orange zest. I added the orange zest to the centre to help create that Easter feel with an egg inspired design. But feel free to add where you like.
These are best eaten straight away, so I would always recommend that they be enjoyed on the same day of making as this is when they will be at their best and freshest.
If there is spare cream, place this into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Ingredients
- Pre Made Ready Rolled Puff Pastry Sheet
- 150ml Whipping Cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Mixed Spice
- Zest of ~1/4 Large Fresh Orange
- Milk - For a milk wash
- Icing Sugar - For Dusting
Instructions
- Remove the pre made pastry from the fridge and leave to sit for roughly 10 minutes, meanwhile preheat your oven to 180*c Fan Oven/200*c/400*f/Gas Mark 6
- Remove the pastry from the packaging and allow it to reach room temperature.
- Open up the pastry sheet and cut out circles. Each pastry will need 2 circles, so try to make an even number.
- Cut a smaller circle out of half of the shapes, directly in the centre.
- Place a circle with a cut out centre on top of a full circle.
- Using a fork, pierce holes into the centre circle.
- Brush with a little bit of milk.
- Repeat this with all of the shapes.
- Place in the oven for roughly 15-20 minutes, or until risen and a nice golden brown.
- Once removed from the oven, allow them to fully cool down.
- Whilst waiting for them to cool start to make the cream. Place the double/ heavy cream into a bowl and, using an electric mixer, slowly whisk until the cream can hold its own shape.
- Lightly stir through roughly the ground mixed spice until fully incorporated.
- Now, go back to the fully cooled pastry shapes. Use a sharp knife and gently run this along the smaller circle in the circle. It shouldn't have risen as much and be easy to find.
- After running the knife around it, it should be quite easy to remove.
- Take it out and leave on the side. You won't be needing this anymore as this whole is where your filling is going to go.
- Add a dusting of icing sugar to the top of the pastry shapes.
- Make sure that the pastry is completely cool before filling.
- Add a heaped teaspoon of hot cross bun spiced cream into the centre of the pastry. In the hole or well that you have created in the middle.
- Add fresh orange zest to the top of the filling. This can be placed in the middle, or dusted over.
- Now, the pastry is done and ready to enjoy!
Notes
These are best eaten straight away, so I would always recommend that they be enjoyed on the same day of making as this is when they will be at their best and freshest. If there is spare cream, place this into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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