“Inspired by my dear mum,” Jamie Oliver said of his cheesy hot cross bun recipe, as the British cook’s loved one “always” pairs cheese with the most outlandish foods.
Jamie’s mum, Ginny, likes to eat Cheddar cheese with Christmas cake and a wedge of Lancashire with Eccles cake.
Wanting to recreate the pairing of sweet and savoury, Jamie turned his attention to sweet hot cross buns and savoury cheese.
Jamie said: “This might not be your usual hot cross bun topping, but trust me, it’s delicious.”
Ready within 10 minutes, you can cook hot cross buns in the air fryer and enjoy a hot, melt-in-your-mouth bite-sized treat.
Hot cross bun recipe
- Cooks in: 10 minutes
- Serves: one person
Ingredients:
- One teaspoon of unsalted butter, softened
- 30g of your favourite melty cheese, such as Cheddar, Red Leicester, or Brie
- One heaped teaspoon of your favourite condiment, such as piccalilli, Branston pickle, or mango chutney
- Two cornichons or gherkins
- A handful of mixed leaves, to serve
Method
Halve the hot cross bun, then lightly butter the insides. Coarsely grate or slice your chosen cheese and scatter over each half.
Spoon over your chosen condiment, then slice and place the pickles on top.
Arrange the hot cross bun halves in the air fryer in a single layer and cook at 180C for six minutes, or until the cheese has melted, then replace the lid on each bun. Serve with a seasonal green salad.
Hot cross bun toppings
There are an array of toppings you can try on a hot cross bun, such as salted caramel for chocolate lovers, or bacon for a salty crunch.
It’s not unheard of to eat hot cross buns with ice cream or even marshmallows for a sweet bite to eat.
Whether you eat hot cross buns at breakfast or lunchtime, or for pudding, there’s a hot cross bun topping for everybody to enjoy.
