Bakery — Hot Cross Buns by dvdlee

[rottiedogs]

Bakery -- Hot Cross Buns
Submitted by dvdlee on August 27, 2004 at 10:00 am

DESCRIPTION
Bakery -- Hot Cross Buns

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Holiday & Party Recipes

INSTRUCTIONS
It is almost Holy Week and I always make Hot Cross Buns (a traditional English Easter bread) now. I think in mediaeval times it was illegal to make these buns except during Holy Week! In the past I have used a recipe from Marion Cunninghams "The Breakfast Book". This year I'm going to try a "real" English version by Jane Griegson found in her "English Food" cookbook. Thought others might have comments, suggestions or other versions.

There was great discussion on the making of the cross on the buns -- differences of opinions on if the buns should be slashed to form a cross, iced or both! Do what you prefer and like.

500 g (1 lb.) bread flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
30g (1 oz) fresh yeast
(2 old-fashioned packs of cake yeast (.6 oz) -
or substitute around 1.5 teaspoons of SAF
120 g (4 oz) castor sugar*** (1/2 sugar is for dough; 1/2 for glaze)
150 ml (1/2 cup) milk
150 ml (1/2 cup) boiling water
90 g (3 oz or 3/4 of a stick of butter)
2 eggs (1 for dough, 1 for egg wash)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 level teaspoon mixed spice (cake spice)
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
90 g (3 oz.) raisins
60 g (2 oz.) mixed peel (citron, lemon, orange)
60 g (2 oz) almond paste
sugar cubes

***Castor sugar is the same as KA Glazing sugar OR you can use superfine sugar OR grind regular sugar in a blender or food processor until very fine

1. Put flour and salt in a large warmed mixing bowl. Add all powdered spices to the flour/salt and mix them in well.

2. Place yeast into a small bowl (if use cake yeast, crumble the cake) with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 of the flour. Combine the 1/2 cup milk and the 1/2 cup boiling water. Slowly pour and mix the liquid with the flour/yeast mixture to form a smooth batter. Let rest for 15 minutes.

3. Add 1/2 of the sugar (2 oz) with the rest of the flour, add butter and blend until the butter is completely mixed with the flour/sugar.

4. Form a well in the center of the flour/sugar and add one slightly beaten egg and the milk/yeast mixture. Mix to a dough, and hand-knead on a floured surface for around 10 minutes. Add more flour if required. The dough should be a slightly rubbery ball, with a moderately tacky, but not sticky, texture. Dough should rub off your fingers easily.

5. Place dough in an oil mixing bowl and cover with a damp cloth (or plastic wrap). Dough is ready after doubling in size.

SHAPING THE BUNS (preheat oven to 450F)
1. Gently punch down the dough and knead in the raisins & mixed peel. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a long cylinder. Cut the cylinder into 18 equal disks. Shape them into round balls and place on a Bakewell paper (parchment paper?) lined baking sheet. Leave plenty of room for the dough balls to rise and then spread during baking.

2. Roll out the almond paste and cut it into thin strips. Brush the buns with a beaten egg and place 2 almond paste strips on each bun so that they form a cross.

3. Let the buns rise around 30 minutes the bake for 10-15 minutes at 450F.

4. Combine the last 2 oz. of castor sugar with 5 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Boil until thick & syrupy. Coarsely grind sugar cubes into small, rough pieces of sugar. Reserve crushed sugar.
5. While the buns are still hot, brush them with the sugar syrup and sprinkle the coarse sugar on top.

PS -- Be sure and use freshly grated nutmeg, pre-ground looses its taste so quickly.

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• This topic was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by rottiedogs.

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