Next Level Hot Cross Buns Recipes

NEXT LEVEL HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Prepare the dough the day before baking. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a jug and put the flour, yeast, sugar, spices, orange zest, fruit and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. With the mixer running on medium speed, slowly pour in the egg mixture, until everything is incorporated into a soft dough. Add the butter and gradually increase the speed, kneading for 8-10 mins until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and clings to the hook. Scrape the dough off the hook, cover and chill overnight to prove.
• Tip the dough onto a floured work surface. Briefly knead, then roll into a long sausage shape. Quarter, then divide each quarter into three pieces so you have 12 portions. Roll each into a ball and place on a lined baking tray, leaving some room between each ball for rising. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for 2 hrs, or until almost doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the topping, mix the flour with the sugar, cardamom and about 3 tbsp water, adding the water 1 tbsp at a time until you have a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins until golden brown. Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small pan or the microwave to loosen, then brush over the warm buns. Leave to cool before serving.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet (quarter baking sheet) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• For the buns: Combine the raisins with the hot water and set aside so the raisins rehydrate and plump.
• Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in the yeast to dissolve. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, softened butter, eggs and yolk and orange zest. Stir to combine.
• Using the dough hook, knead for 7 minutes on medium-low speed. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is translucent when a small bit is stretched out with your fingers, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Drain the raisins and add them to the bowl along with the apple and knead until the dough is soft and elastic and the raisins and apple are evenly dispersed, about 2 minutes longer.
• Lightly butter a large glass bowl. Scrape the dough into the bowl and cover with either plastic wrap or a clean dish cloth. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour. It will become puffy, but it's ok if it doesn't double in size.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 15 parts. Using floured hands, form each part into a ball. Due to the raisins and apple, the ball won't be completely smooth, but that's ok. Add each ball to the lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the buns to rise a second time until they're touching and look bloated and puffy, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the paste: Whisk together the flour and water in a small bowl until there are no lump. Spoon the paste into a piping bag fitted with a plain small to medium tip. (The batter will be runny.) Pipe a cross on each bun.
• Bake until the buns are golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
• For the honey butter: While the buns are baking, stir the melted butter and honey together in a small bowl. Once the buns are golden brown, remove them from the oven and brush the tops with the honey butter.
• Carefully lift the parchment paper or baking mat and transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely (or enjoy warm, if you're like me and you can't wait!).

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.