Hot Cross Buns - Updated Version
photo by ChrisMc
- Ready In:
- 15hrs 20mins
- Ingredients:
- 23
- Yields:
-
32 buns
- Serves:
- 32
ingredients
- 4 1⁄2 teaspoons yeast (2 packages)
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 1⁄2 cup milk
- 3⁄4 cup mashed potatoes (can also use 3/4 cup boiling water with 1/4 cup dehydrated riced potatoes)
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
- 1⁄2 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon clove
- 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried orange peel
- 1 vanilla beans, seeds scraped and pod discarded or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3⁄4 cup dried apricot, cut into a fine dice (or other light dried fruit such as citron)
- 3⁄4 cup dried cranberries, cut into a fine dice (or other dark dried fruit such as cherries or raisins)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
directions
- Combine one package of yeast, water, and milk; stir well.
- Mix with potatoes, sugar, and 1 cup of the flour. Whisk until combined and refrigerate for 8-12 hours.
- Remove the sponge from the refrigerator, and add remaining yeast, salt, butter, eggs, spices and orange peel. Beat in flour by cups until combined.
- Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 5-10 minutes, until elastic. Add the dried chopped fruit and knead until just combined.
- Place in a warm, humid area and allow to rise 1-2 hours until doubled in volume. (If the kitchen is cold, put the dough in the oven (NOT heated), with a pan of water just off the boil on the rack beneath. The steam will prevent a skin from forming, and the hot water will give enough heat to let the dough rise without cooking it (and killing the yeast).
- Fold out gently and separate into 32 pieces of dough. A bench scraper works very well here - cut the main ball in half, then quarter each half, then quarter each quarter. This means you halve the dough 5 times in total, but it’s easier for me to track as above.
- Fold the corners in to make balls. Pull the dough tight at the bottom to smooth the balls out. 2 halfsheets will hold the entire batch with room to rise.
- Bench proof for 40 minutes.
- Cut a cross onto the top of each ball (a slicing knife or razor blade works best to make the cross without pulling the dough together as with a scissors). Brush with egg yolk and water.
- Bake 20 minutes at 375, or until an instant read thermometer reads 205-210.
- Allow the buns to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- While the buns are resting, combine milk, sugar, and vanilla to make icing.
- When cool, drizzle icing on each bun, allowing it to collect in the cross.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
ChrisMc
Honolulu, Hawaii