Revealing how to make fresh blueberry hot cross buns, nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert shared her recipe. Whether you’re a novice baker or more of an amateur, making these delicious berry buns will feel satisfying either way. That’s because making homemade buns really does require skill, and a little bit of patience.

The dough, made from flour and other ingredients, really does need time to expand before it can be rolled out and cut into round-shaped buns. Here’s how to make homemade and fresh blueberry hot cross buns from scratch with a straightforward recipe.

Method

Mix the flour, salt, spice, sugar, and fruit rinds together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in with fingertips (until it resembles fine crumbs) then stir in the yeast.

Warm the milk in a small saucepan. Add the egg to the flour mix then gradually pour in enough of the warm milk to make a soft dough.

Tip the dough onto a floured work surface then knead for 10 minutes. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a teacloth and put in a warm place for one hour; the dough will double in size.

Knead the dough again, but gently, to add in the blueberries. Cut the dough into 12 pieces, shape into round buns, and place on a greased baking sheet, spread apart from one another.

Cover loosely with a large piece of oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for half an hour.

Sift the flour for the crosses into a bowl and mix in just enough water to make a smooth, pipe-able mixture. Spoon into a disposable paper piping bag, snip off the tip, and pipe crosses over the buns.

Bake at 190C (375F/gas mark five) for 15 minutes until well risen and golden.

Meanwhile make the glaze by dissolving the sugar in the milk in a small saucepan then boiling for one minute. Brush over the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. Leave to cool then serve split and buttered.