Fortnum & Mason hot cross bun shortbread
My sister lives in London so it’s always difficult to send her a gift for Easter when I know that postage would probably cost more than the gift! Last year I ordered some items for her from Fortnum & Mason which included some hot cross bun shortbread which I thought would be lovely to replicate for Easter gifts.
The description on their website reads “Made in small batches and cut-by-hand at a small, family-run bakery in Scotland, these scrumptious biscuits are spiced with cinnamon, mixed spice and ginger, and packed with pieces of orange-infused sultana and stem ginger. And the cross on top? Each biscuit’s signature finishing touch is meticulously piped on by hand. So not only do these biscuits taste delicious – especially with a complementary cup of Easter Tea – but they look incredible too.”
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/fortnums/hot-cross-everything
While the Fortnum & Mason biscuits had an icing cross I decided to make mine out of plain shortbread. I am not a huge fan of stem ginger so I left that out.
My two little Easter bunnies are really enjoying these and I just hope to have enough left to wrap up for gifts.
The recipe below makes approximately 24.
- 240g Butter
- 240g flour
- 120g castor sugar
- 120g rice flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 100g sultanas
- 100ml orange juice
- 60g Butter
- 60g flour
- 30g castor sugar
- 30g rice flour
directions
for the biscuits
The night before cover sultanas with orange juice and let them sit in the fridge. The next day…
- Mix dry ingredients with softened butter until well combined and resembling bread crumbs.
- Drain excess orange juice from sultanas and stir through mixture carefully so not to break them.
- Make small balls outs of mixture, placing them on a lined baking tray. Put them in the fridge while you make the crosses.
for the crosses
- Mix dry ingredients with softened butter until well combined and resemble bread crumbs.
- Carefully roll the dough into thin strips – I found I only needed about a 10c piece of dough for each strip – rolling it out with one finger in the palm of my hand.
- Place the crosses on each biscuit and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 180c/355f.
Thermomix directions
The night before cover sultanas with orange juice and let them sit in the fridge. The next day…
- Place butter in your TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds, speed 5 until smooth.
- Add all other dry ingredients to TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds, speed 5. Scrape down bowl and mix for another 15 seconds, speed 5.
- Drain excess orange juice from sultanas and stir through mixture carefully not to break them.
- Make small balls outs of mixture, placing them on a lined baking tray. Put them in the fridge while you make the crosses.
for the crosses
- Place butter in your TM bowl and mix on speed 5 for 10 seconds until smooth.
- Add all other dry ingredients to TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds, speed 5. Scrape down bowl and mix for another 15 seconds, speed 5.
- Carefully roll the dough into thin strips – I found I only needed about a 10c piece of dough for each strip – rolling it out with one finger in the palm of my hand.
- Place the crosses on each biscuit and bake for 20 minutes at 180c/355f.
Enjoy your Easter and your hot cross bun shortbread!
For other treats ideas click here.
