Easter Baking Part I: Hot Cross Buns.

Hot cross buns, like quite a few other things, have been on my ‘To Make’ list for the longest time.

For a couple of years now, as Easter approaches, I would make a mental note to make my own hot cross buns. Without fail, year after year, I go to the supermarket to pick up the ingredients I need, ooh and aah over the aisles and aisles of Easter chocolate and before I know it, I’m standing at the checkout with a basket full of chocolate and none of the ingredients I need. And since I’ve already failed miserably at stage one of making my own hot cross buns, I give up and head to the bakery just outside the supermarket to pick up a bags of their gorgeous, freshly baked hot cross buns that have been screaming my name each time I’ve walked past in last couple of weeks, go home and gorge myself silly on Easter eggs and hot cross buns.

Very classy way to celebrate Easter, I know.

This year, however, was gonna be the year. For the first time in seven years, I’m far away from the evil aisles of Easter chocolate (the selections I’ve seen in Singapore so far are disappointingly dismal) and bakeries that churn out the trayfuls of heavenly hot cross buns for weeks leading up to Easter in Melbourne. Plus, Good Friday’s a public holiday- I can’t think of a better place to spend the day off from work than in the kitchen (okay, actually I can think of one- in Melbourne with GT but you get the point).

These were so much fun to make! The long rising times that is typical of bread making aside, the dough was such a breeze to make and a dream to work with- there was none of that stickiness I get so often with bread dough so there was no need for the whole balancing act between adding more water and more flour to get the right texture. Piping on the crosses, I must admit, made me swell with such a sense of pride you would think I had just discovered how to reverse the effects of global warming.

Of course, I couldn’t resist having a piece right out of the pan. Split into half and slathered with butter, it was soo good! Generously dotted with plump raisins and bits of candied orange peel, and lightly spiced with a kiss of cinnamon and mixed spice, it was every thing I could want from a hot cross bun and then some. Judging by how quickly they’re disappearing, it looks like I’m not only one around here who feels that way.

These are definitely kick starting my Easter baking repertoire- even if it means that these babies are the only thing I make every Easter from now on. In the meanwhile, it has now become my personal life mission to stuff myself with as many as these hot cross buns within these seven weeks of Easter.

Hot Cross Buns [adapted from Gourmet Traveller's April 2007 issue]

Ingredients
750g (5 cups) plain flour, sifted and divided
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
250g (1 1/2 cups) raisins, soaked in equal amount of hot water for 5 minutes and drained
100g candied orange peel, coarsely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
300 ml milk
100g unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup water

Glaze
1/4 cup water
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
1/4 tsp mixed spice

1. Combine 700g flour, sugar, yeast, spices, raisins, orange peel and sea salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and set aside.
2. Heat the milk and butter over low heat till the butter melts and mixture is tepid. Whisk the egg in a bowl and keep whisking as you pour the milk mixture in gradually. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix well. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or till dough is smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about 40 minutes or till dough doubles in size.
3. Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces†. Knead each piece into a ball and place them in a lightly greased 8″ square pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and let stand in a warm place for about 40 minutes or till doubled in size.
4. Heat the oven to 220. Combine the remaining flour and water and stir till a smooth paste forms. Pipe lines down each row to form crosses. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 200C and bake for another 10 minutes or till golden. The buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped.
5. To make the glaze Combine the water, sugar and mixed spice in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring till the sugar dissolves. Bring the glaze to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Brush the glaze over the hot buns and transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool. Makes 16 buns

† Each of my bun weighed 94g.

Posted by thecoffeesnob on April 10, 2009

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