Hot Cross Buns
Makes 1 dozen*
A staple of Good Friday in Bermuda and Easter in the UK, this spiced currant bun is the sweet, charismatic sister to the dinner roll. Beautiful on its own or with coffee, but best sliced, toasted, and buttered.
Prep: 3 hours 30 minutes | Cook: 22 minutes
Ingredients
Buns
| QTY | Description |
|---|---|
| 55g | butter, softened |
| 75g | packed dark brown sugar |
| 235ml | whole milk |
| 230g | raisins |
| 14g (2 packets) | active dry yeast |
| 490g | bread flour, plus more if needed |
| 1 tsp | ground allspice |
| 1 tbsp | ground cinnamon |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 3 | large eggs |
Crosses
| QTY | Description |
|---|---|
| 70g | all-purpose flour |
| ~5 tbsp | water |
Glaze
| QTY | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 tbsp | granulated sugar |
| 3 tbsp | water |
Method
Buns
- In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, and raisins. Heat on low, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm (below 38°C/100°F).
- When the mixture is cool enough, stir in the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes to dissolve.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the bread flour, allspice, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and begin kneading on medium speed.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add one at a time to the dough with the stand mixer on. Let mix for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the stand mixer and let the dough rest for 15 minutes, before resuming mixing at medium speed for another 5 minutes.
- If the dough is impossibly wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time with the mixer on. Only add flour if the dough cannot be scraped from the bowl — this dough is inherently sticky.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place onto an unfloured countertop. Begin kneading.
- After kneading for about 10 minutes, collect the dough and place it in a large, greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1½ to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 12 equal pieces. To roll into balls, place dough onto an unfloured surface and roll in circular motions with a cupped hand until uniform and smooth.
- Place balls at equal distances in a parchment-lined 23×33cm (9×13-inch) baking pan that has had its sides greased. Let proof for roughly 1 hour.
Crosses
- Mix together the 70g of all-purpose flour and 5 tablespoons water to form a paste. Add paste to a piping bag and pipe thin lines down the proofed dough to form crosses.
Baking
- Bake for roughly 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops of the buns are a light golden brown.
Glaze
- While the buns are baking, combine the 3 tablespoons water and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a light simmer.
- As soon as the buns are out of the oven, brush the tops with the sugar glaze. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
- Tip from Yesteryear: This dough is very enriched, meaning it contains added fat and sugar, making it initially seem nearly impossible to knead on the counter — it will want to stick to everything. Accept this fate. Use a bench scraper to pull the edges out and fold back to the centre, occasionally gathering dough from the counter. The more you knead, the more manageable it becomes and the less it sticks.
- In Bermuda, hot cross buns are traditionally sliced and served with a curried fish cake of salt cod inside.