Ingredients
For the Tangzhong:
- 100g Crème fraîche
- 25g Mulino Marino Organic Buratto Type 2 Flour
For the Dough:
- 200g Whole milk
- 65g Unsalted butter, cubed
- 475g Mulino Marino Organic Buratto Type 2 Flour
- 16g Fresh yeast
- 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
- 5 Drops of blood orange extract
- 40g Golden caster sugar
- 10g Salt
For the Fruits and Spices:
- 80g Mixed peel
- 150g Mixed dried fruit (e.g., apricots, sultanas, cranberries)
- 1 tbsp Mixed spice
- ¼ tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ground ginger
- ½ tsp Vanilla powder
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 Egg whisked
- 1 Pinch Fine Salt
- 1 Dash Milk
For the Cross Paste:
- 100g Mulino Marino Organic Buratto Flour
- ½ tsp Ground ginger or mixed spice
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- Water (enough to make a thick paste)
For the Glaze:
- 50g Light brown caster sugar
- 50g Water
- 1 tbsp Apricot jam
Perfectly Plump Hot Cross Buns
This is my favourite recipe for Hot Cross Buns, slightly adapted from Richard Bertinet's superb version. I find that making a tangzhong (a flour-and-liquid roux) gives these buns the perfect texture, a soft, pliable crumb with just enough tenacity to hold up under a generous smear of butter without tearing or collapsing.
I’ve never been a fan of most supermarket Hot Cross Buns as I find that they either compress into thin, doughy discs or crumble like they’re made of dust, leaving me more than a bit disappointed.
These buns are quite straightforward to make, though they do have a few steps, but trust me, the results are worth every minute. Picture this: heady toasted buns with their fluffy crumb soaking up the slowly melting butter. One bite and I’m guessing you’ll already be planning your next batch.
While many recipes suggest “leaving the cross off if you prefer”, I think it’s part of their charm - like a toasted teacake dressed up for a night out. Plus, I like to spice up the usually plain cross mixture, adding a little extra flavour and making the experience even more rewarding.
Method:
Prepare the Tangzhong:
1. Heat the crème fraîche until it begins to boil. Stir in the flour and mix until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the Dough:
2. In a mixer, combine milk, butter, sugar and the cooled tangzhong.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and yeast by crumbling the yeast into the flour with your fingers.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients and mix on low speed making sure that all the butter has been incorporated.
5. Beat the eggs together with the blood orange extract. Slowly add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, ensuring each addition has been absorbed into the dough.
6. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes. Add the salt and knead for another 2–5 minutes until the dough is smooth and comes away from the bowl.
Incorporate Fruits and Spices:
7. In a bowl, mix the fruits and spices. Add them to the dough and mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes until evenly distributed.
First Proof:
8. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and let it proof at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Shape and Second Proof:
9. Portion the dough into 12 pieces (about 105g each) and shape tightly into neat balls. Arrange on a baking sheet with space between them. Cover and let them proof until doubled in size (45–60 minutes).
Prepare the Cross Paste:
10. Mix the flour, spice, oil and water into a smooth paste, thicker than pancake batter but not too thick that you will have trouble piping it. Transfer to a piping bag and practice piping a cross on a plate to ensure the consistency is right. It should be able to stretch slightly when piping without breaking so you can control the thickness of the cross to your taste.
Egg Wash and Bake:
11. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Brush the egg wash over the buns and then pipe the crosses on top.
12. Bake for 16–20 minutes or until golden brown, you may need to turn the tray part way through to ensure an even bake.
Prepare the glaze:
13. While the buns are baking, add the glaze ingredients to a pan and heat until all of the sugar and jam has dissolved (check the consistency by brushing a small amount on a cold plate and allowing it to cool) the glaze should be shiny and sticky but not too runny ( if it is too runny then just return continue heating until more of the liquid has evaporated).
Brush with the glaze:
14. Brush the buns with the glaze straight away when they come out of the oven.
Leave the buns in the tray for five minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.
Serve and enjoy:
You can eat the buns whilst they are still warm or let them cool completely, split in half, then toast before adding a generous scraping of cold butter and trying to eat them before the butter drips off the side.
These should keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container, or you can freeze them.
Chances are they won't last that long as they are much nicer the fresher they are!
