Mar 30

Mar 30 Hot Cross Buns

These hot cross buns are chewy, gently sweet and aromatic with a slightly sweet tang from the craisins.

Hot Cross Buns

Makes 12 buns

In America, hot cross buns are not a part of our traditional Easter celebration. I’d always known them to be a part of the tradition of our cousins across the pond though I’d always thought of trying to make them myself. I had my first “cross bun” nearly a decade ago. My friend, whose mother is Guyanese, made some and shared them with my family. The sweet spiced bread was delicious and addictive. For my part, I’ve finally gotten around to making them for myself. These hot cross buns are chewy, gently sweet and aromatic with a slightly sweet tang from the craisins.

This particular recipe purposely incorporates semolina traditional in Easter pies in Italy. For the bread, it adds a nice texture and makes the resulting buns chewy rather than pillowy. However, I have included the steps for making pillowy buns in the “Recipe Tips”. In another break from tradition, I wasn’t fond of the idea of citrus in the dough itself and put a citrus element on top as the glaze, though it is optional.

Finally, I knead all of my bread dough by hand as such, the egg and milk were used straight from the fridge as the dough will heat up exponentially during kneading. IF you use a stand mixer, using warm liquids will help the dough to rise faster.

“Recipe Tips:

1. For pillowy buns use 390g (3 c) bread flour and omit 24ml (2 T) of the milk. If desired, you can also use replace the whole wheat flour with bread flour.

*2. You do not need to use the glaze, if you choose not to, egg wash the buns before piping on the cross.”

Ingredients

Dough

325g (2.5 c) bread flour

130g (1 c) whole wheat flour

90g (0.50 c) semolina

90g (6 T) dark brown sugar

10g (2.5 t) kosher salt

10g (2.5 t) instant yeast

1.25 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground coriander

0.75 t whole caraway seeds, crushed

0.75 t ground cardamom

0.50 t ground nutmeg

0.25 t ground ginger

0.25 t ground allspice

1/8 t ground Sichuan pepper

274ml (1.25 c + 2 T) milk

1 large egg

112g (8 T) butter, softened

80g (0.50 c) craisins

Cross Paste

40g (1/3 c) bread flour

0.50 t vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

50ml (0.25 c) water

*Glaze - optional

100g (0.25 c) yuja cheong

2 T water

1 T sugar

Recipe Know-how

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients mixing well.

Make a well in the center and add the egg and 75% of the milk.
Combine well and stir into the flour to make a dough.
Add the remaining milk as necessary to create a dough.

The dough will be sticky.

Turn out onto a clean, unfloured surface and use the slap and fold method the knead the dough for 2 minutes.

To knead with slap and fold: place your hands at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock on the dough, lift up and turn a quarter turn (your hands will be at 3 and 9) “slap” the bottom of the dough against the work surface. Stretch the dough in your hands toward yourself and “fold” or “throw” the dough over the dough on the table. Quickly remove your hands from the dough and place your hands at 12 and 6 again and repeat for the time period listed.

After 2 minutes, continue to knead the dough normally for 4 minutes longer.

If your dough is too sticky for normal kneading, continue using the slap and fold method to knead for the remaining time.

After kneading, with the dough smooth side down and flatten the dough and spread the butter inside.
Seal the butter in and then squeeze the dough and butter together, “forcing” the fat into the dough. Continue to squeeze until the butter has all been absorbed.

The dough will look broken and will require continual scraping of the surface and your hands until everything is well incorporated.
Trust the process and continue on, the dough will become cohesive.

Once all of the butter has been incorporated, knead for 5 minutes longer.
With the dough smooth side down on the work surface, flatten again.
Cover with the craisins and roll up into the dough.
Knead gently for 1 – 2 minutes to incorporate thoroughly.
Place in the mixing bowl, cover and ferment for 1 hour.

2. After 1 hour perform a fold.

To fold the dough: Remove the risen dough from the bowl, placing smooth side down on an unfloured surface.
Flatten gently into a circle.
Starting at the side across from you, gently pull the dough and fold it over the center.
Turn the dough and repeat the process until the dough has once again formed a ball.

Tighten the dough against the work surface and place in the bowl to rise for 1 hour, covered.

3. Degas dough and turn out onto an unfloured surface and divide into 12 equal sized portions.

Working one portion at a time, preshape the dough by performing the same steps as a fold, gently rounding each portion and setting aside.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover loosely and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

4. Place a sheet of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

5. Working one at a time, shape each bun.

Place the smooth side of the rested buns on the work surface, flatten and form into a ball performing the same steps as the fold and preshape.
Pinch the seams on the bottom of each bun and gently round.

If any craisins are sticking out too far on the tops of the buns, push them into the bun. If they are on top, they may burn.

Place each finished bun onto the baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover loosely and allow to rise 45 minutes to 1 hour or until puffed slightly and the buns hold an indentation when poked gently.

6. Mix together the cross paste ingredients slowly adding the water until a thick but pipeable paste is achieved.

Place into a piping bag or disposable plastic bag and set aside.

7. Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F once the buns are nearly ready.

8. Pipe the paste over the buns in a cross pattern and place in the oven.

I like to pipe continuous lines across the buns horizontally then pipe continuous lines across the buns vertically. This is easier than doing each bun individually in my opinion.