Hot Cross Buns With Dried Cranberries Recipes

CRANBERRY & ORANGE HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Put the orange zest in a bowl and set aside. Pour the juice into another bowl, add 75ml boiling water and the dried cranberries, then leave to soak.
• Meanwhile, pour the milk into a saucepan, add the butter and heat over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has just melted. Turn off the heat and beat in the egg by hand.
• Mix together the bread flour, yeast, 1 tsp salt, and the mixed spice and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in the milk mixture.
• Drain the cranberries and add to the bowl with the orange zest, then mix into the dough with a wooden spoon until it comes together enough to handle without getting too sticky.
• Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth and elastic - you'll need to keep poking the cranberries into the mix as you go. Grease a bowl with a little oil, then add the dough and cover with cling film. Leave somewhere warm to rise for 1 hr.
• Once risen to twice the size, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knock it back by kneading for about 1 min - this will get all the large air holes out and give you nice even buns.
• Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, roll into balls and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment. Put a plastic bag over the baking sheets and leave to prove for 1 hr more.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix together the plain flour and 5 tbsp water in a bowl to a sticky consistency. Spoon into a piping bag with a small opening, or use a 2mm nozzle, and pipe crosses onto each risen bun. Put the buns in the oven for 20-22 mins until brown on top.
• While the buns are baking, make the glaze. Pour the orange juice into a saucepan and mix in the jam. Bring to the boil over a low heat, then simmer for 3-5 mins - you'll need to keep an eye on this the whole time and stir it to stop it sticking. Once the buns are cooked, put them on a wire rack and immediately paint with the glaze. Leave to cool, then eat with butter. Will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container.

HOT CROSS BUNS WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it registers 110 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour milk into a mixer bowl, and fit mixer with a dough hook. With mixer on low speed, add granulated sugar, yeast, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggs. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and knead until mixture comes together in a soft, sticky dough. Continue kneading, scraping down hook as needed, until dough is smooth, about 4 minutes.
• Add cherries and raisins, and knead to incorporate. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead to distribute dried fruit. Coat a large bowl with butter. Shape dough into a ball, and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet. Turn dough onto a surface, knead briefly, then divide into 3 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, divide each third into 10 pieces, and shape each into a tight ball. (Keep dough covered with plastic.) Place on prepared sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm spot until buns have doubled in size and are touching, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg-white wash. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
• Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip, and pipe icing on buns in the shape of a cross. (Alternatively, spoon glaze on buns.) Serve immediately.

HOT CROSS BUNS WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and yeast in a large mixing bowl; mix well.
• Combine 3/4 cup milk and butter in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat until very warm (120 to 130°F.). Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture; mix on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups additional flour by hand until dough forms and pulls away from side of bowl. Stir in cranberries.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough for 5 to 6 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and roll it around to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Lightly grease a large cookie sheet. Punch down dough; divide into 24 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball; place 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. With scissors, snip a cross in top of each roll. Cover; let rise until doubled in size, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375°F Brush rolls with egg white.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Cool slightly. Combine glaze ingredients in a small mixing bowl, adding enough milk for desired consistency. Using a decorating bag or spoon make a cross on top of each roll with glaze.

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.