Hot Cross Buns
Makes 12 rolls (grams is best for this recipe!)
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 9×13” baking dish
- Whisk
- Piping bag or ziplock bag
Ingredients
Dough
- 188 g bread flour
- 188 g all purpose flour
- 50 g brown sugar
- 8 g kosher salt
- 5 g instant yeast
- 4 g cinnamon
- 1 g allspice
- 1 orange zested
- 260 g whole milk
- 60 g unsalted butter a bit cooler than room temp, plus more for greasing the pan
- 200 g raisins
To bake
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
- 75 g all purpose flour
- 80 g water
- Orange marmalade heated with a splash of water to thin*
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add bread flour, all purpose flour, sugar, salt, yeast, cinnamon, allspice, orange zest and milk.
- Using a dough hook, mix on low until combined. Increase speed to high and knead the dough for about 12-15 minutes until smooth and the dough holds together when pulled out thin. You may need to hold onto the mixer to stabilize it!
- Next add in the butter. Turn mixer on low to begin incorporating, then increase speed to high. Mix on high for another 7-8 minutes until a smooth dough is formed and the sides of the mixer bowl are clean. Pull the dough out thin to check strength. You want to be able to pull the dough thin enough to almost see through it without the dough tearing (window pane method).
- Add raisins and mix to just incorporate.
- Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise 2-3 hours. The dough should be almost doubled in size.
- Place dough out onto a clean surface (not dusted with flour) and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (for perfectly even rolls weigh them out to 80g each).
- Form each piece into buns by cupping your hand over the dough and using a quick circular motion to form a tight ball.
- Place buns into a buttered 9×13 inch baking dish, leaving a bit of space in between each roll.**
- Cover and let rise another 45 minutes to 1 hour until the buns have puffed up and nearly doubled in size. (this could take longer if its cold!)
- While buns rise for the second time, whisk egg and water to create an egg wash.
- Mix flour and water to create a thick but still pip-able paste. Transfer mixture to a piping or ziplock bag and snip the top. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Brush buns with egg wash all over.
- Pipe flour and water mixture out over the buns to form the crosses.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until deeply golden and baked through.
- Brush with thinned marmalade. Enjoy warm.
Notes
*I just microwave a heaping tablespoon of marmalade with a teaspoon or so of water until the jam is melted and thinned out
**This also works in a 8×11 inch baking dish
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
