Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns are a favorite around Easter! They are so aromatic, soft, and will make your house smell so good.
Servings: 12 buns
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup hot apple juice
- 3/4 cup raisins or currants
- 1 package (0.25 oz) active dry yeast (equiv to 2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 3/4 cup warm milk (110-115 degrees F)
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Flour paste for cross:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 to 5 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
Sugar glaze:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Soak raisins in the hot apple juice. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Then, drain and set aside. Pat dry.
- Set up the dough hook attachment of a stand mixer. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk (110-115 degrees F), active dry yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Stir and let it stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, whisk the bread flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and sugar. Set aside.
- With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients to the yeast mixture until just combined (keep using the dough hook). Then add melted butter, eggs, and the other half of the dry ingredients, and mix. Increase to medium speed and mix for about 5-6 minutes, adding more flour as necessary until it pulls away from the bowl and is slightly sticky but manageable. Add the raisins and orange zest, and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead a few times until smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky.
- Form into a ball and place on a lightly oiled bowl (olive oil is fine), making sure to coat the dough with some of the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm and draft-free environment for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and transfer to a floured clean surface. Knead a few times, and cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into balls, pinching at the bottom, and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or baking pan. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes in a warm and draft-free environment, until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Egg wash: whisk 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk. Brush buns with egg wash after they have risen.
- Flour paste for the cross: combine the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sugar, and water. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get a thick but pipeable paste.
- Fill a piping bag with the paste and pipe over the buns to form a cross on each bun.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Remove buns from oven. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the sugar glaze: in a small saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes, until thickened.
- Brush hot cross buns with the sugar glaze.