Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •9 by 13 inch baking pan
• •Parchment paper
• •Kitchen scale (recommended)
• •Piping bag with small round tip or zip-lock bag
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Pastry brush
• •Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine dry ingredients

   Whisk together the bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a large mixing bowl. The spices should distribute evenly through the flour, creating a pale tan mixture flecked with darker specks. Make a well in the center.

   Instant yeast can be mixed directly with flour. Active dry yeast needs to bloom in warm liquid first. Check your package.
2. 2

   Add wet ingredients

   Pour the warm milk into the well. Add the whole egg and egg yolk. Using a wooden spoon or your hand, begin stirring from the center outward, gradually incorporating flour into the liquid. Work until you have a shaggy, sticky mass that pulls away from the bowl sides. This takes about two minutes of vigorous stirring.

3. 3

   Knead the dough

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead with the heel of your hand, pushing the dough away from you, then folding it back over itself and rotating a quarter turn. The dough will be sticky at first. Resist adding too much flour. After about 8 minutes of steady kneading, it should become smooth and slightly tacky but no longer stick aggressively to your hands. When you poke it, the indentation should slowly spring back.

   If using a stand mixer, knead with the dough hook on medium speed for 6 minutes. The dough should clear the bowl sides and slap against them rhythmically.
4. 4

   Incorporate the butter

   Flatten the dough slightly and add the softened butter in three additions. Knead after each addition until the butter is absorbed. The dough will become slick and seem to fall apart momentarily. Keep working it. After another 4 to 5 minutes, you'll have a smooth, supple dough with a satiny sheen. It should pass the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing.

5. 5

   Add fruit and zest

   Scatter the currants, candied peel, and orange zest over the dough. Knead gently to distribute, folding and pressing rather than aggressive stretching. Some fruit will try to escape. Push it back in. The dough is ready when the fruit appears evenly throughout and no bare patches remain.

6. 6

   First rise

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set in a warm spot (75 to 80°F) until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours. The dough is ready when a floured finger pressed into the surface leaves an indentation that holds rather than springs back.

   Enriched doughs rise more slowly than lean ones. The fat inhibits yeast activity. Don't rush this. A cold kitchen may require up to 3 hours.
7. 7

   Shape the buns

   Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Gently deflate the risen dough and turn it onto a clean surface. Divide into 12 equal portions (about 85g each if you have a scale). Shape each piece by cupping your hand over it and rolling in a circular motion against the counter until you have a taut ball with a smooth top. Arrange in the prepared pan, four rows of three, spacing evenly. They should nearly touch.

8. 8

   Second rise

   Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let rise in a warm place until the buns have puffed significantly and are pressing against each other, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. They should look pillowy and jiggle slightly when the pan is gently shaken. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

9. 9

   Make the cross paste

   Whisk together the all-purpose flour and water in a small bowl until completely smooth. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter, just pourable but not runny. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or use a zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off. The opening should be about ¼ inch wide.

10. 10

    Pipe the crosses

    Working with a steady hand, pipe a continuous line of paste across each row of buns, then pipe lines in the perpendicular direction to create crosses. Don't worry about perfection. Slight wobbles give character. The paste should sit on top of the dough, not sink in. If it sinks, your buns may have overproofed slightly.

11. 11

    Bake the buns

    Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F. The kitchen will smell of warm spice and toasted bread. The crosses should be pale against the bronzed dough. If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final minutes.

12. 12

    Glaze immediately

    While the buns bake, stir together the honey and hot water until the honey dissolves completely. The moment the buns come out of the oven, brush this glaze generously over the hot tops. You'll hear a faint sizzle. The glaze will soak in slightly, leaving a glossy, slightly sticky finish. Let the buns cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef Tips

• •Weighing your flour makes a meaningful difference in bread baking. A cup of flour can vary by 30 grams depending on how you scoop it. The scale removes all guesswork.
• •Soak the currants in warm water or orange juice for 20 minutes before adding if yours seem particularly dry. Drain thoroughly and pat dry. Plump fruit distributes better and won't pull moisture from the dough.
• •These buns freeze beautifully. Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat wrapped in foil at 300°F for 15 minutes, then unwrap and toast briefly to restore the crust.
• •Sultanas (golden raisins) or a mixture of raisins and currants are perfectly acceptable substitutes. Dried cranberries, while untraditional, work for those who find candied peel objectionable.
• •The cross paste is not negotiable if you want authentic hot cross buns. Some modern recipes use icing piped after baking. This is fine for decoration but lacks the subtle chew of the traditional flour cross.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be made through the first rise, then refrigerated overnight in a covered bowl. The cold slows fermentation and develops flavor. Allow 2 hours at room temperature before shaping.
• •Shaped buns can be covered and refrigerated overnight after arranging in the pan. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before baking to finish their rise.
• •Baked and glazed buns keep at room temperature, loosely covered, for 2 days. After that, split and toast them. The butter helps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 87g)