Celtic Homemade Hot Cross Buns Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Place currants in a small bowl. Heat rum until steaming in a small pan and pour over currants to soften them, about 2 hours. Drain; reserve liquid for another use.
• Whisk warm milk, 1/4 cup flour, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit about 15 minutes to ensure yeast is active; small bubbles should start to rise to the surface. Add sugar, beaten egg, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, melted butter, and most of the remaining flour (you might not need it all). Mix with a dough hook attachment until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes slightly elastic, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue kneading until dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove dough from dough hook and shape into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• Flatten dough into a large oval about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle currants evenly over surface of dough. Fold dough into thirds. Turn and fold into thirds again. Reshape dough into a round ball. Transfer to lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place until double in size, about 2 hours.
• Poke dough down a bit with your fingertips. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Flatten out dough into an even shape. Divide into 16 equal pieces using a bench scraper.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
• Roll each piece of dough into a round ball. Arrange evenly on prepared baking sheet. Let rise 15 minutes.
• Mix 1/4 cup water and 1/3 cup flour together in a mixing bowl until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to pipe. Transfer mixture to a piping bag.
• After buns have risen 15 minutes, pipe a cross on top of each. Let rise until doubled from original dough balls, another 15 or 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Transfer pan to preheated oven. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to thicken, or until it reaches a temperature of 225 degrees F. Remove from heat.
• Let buns cool on a rack for 5 minutes before glazing. Brush glaze lightly over the tops of the buns.

CELTIC HOMEMADE HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour with the yeast and cinnamon.
• Heat milk, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until warm; stir constantly. Remove from heat and beat for 3 minutes at high speed. Add all at once to the flour mixture, along with the eggs. Beat at low speed for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 more minutes at high speed. Stir in currants and as much of remaining flour as possible.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough of remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat surface. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot. Let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 18 pieces and form each into a smooth ball. Place on a greased baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover; let rise until nearly double (30 to 45 minutes).
• With a sharp knife, cut a cross (to represent either the cross of Christ, the sun, or the combination of male and female energies) onto each. Brush tops of each bun with some of the slightly beaten egg white (reserve remaining white).
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, dash of salt, and the reserved egg white. Add more milk if necessary to give it piping consistency. Pipe crosses on top of buns with a pastry decorator.

CLASSIC HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• BUNS: Dissolve 1 tablespoons sugar in water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand for 20 minutes, or until frothy.
• Heat evaporated milk until just steaming.
• In a bowl, blend remaininig sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; make a well; in a separate bowl, whisk evaporated milk, oil and eggs. Combine milk and yeast mixtures to flour mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
• Knead dough on a lighty floured sruface, adding extra flour as needed, for 8 minutes or until smooth. Place in a lightly oiled bowl turning to coat. Cover and place in a warm area to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough; turn out onto a lighty floured surface; knead in currants and peel. Roll into a log and cut into 12 pieces. Shape into balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F Bake buns 12 minutes or until golden brown.
• GLAZE: Heat sugar with water over medium heat until dissolved, brush over hot buns.
• FROSTING: Blend icing sugar with evaporated milk. Pipe a cross on each of the cooled buns.