Citrusy Hot Cross Buns

It’s a lovely windy sunny spring, and all the spring flowers are blooming. The aroma of these freshly baked hot cross buns hangs around in my kitchen and it certainly adds the joy of making them. Hot Cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday and Easter in Christian households, beyond the religious significance, hot cross buns are rich in folklore. Eating one is a symbol of friendship for the coming year when shared with another. Sailors would often bring the buns aboard to guard against shipwrecks and hanging a hot cross bun in the kitchen would help protect against fires and would guarantee that all breads baked in the kitchen would turn out well. Who knew?

This year I used the same recipe from my previous posting but with some minor changes.

Ingredients:

285 gram flour
12 gram milk powder
7 gram yeast
40 gram sugar
1 tbsp of orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
70 – 80 ml of milk
1 egg
75 gram water roux (refer to the recipe here )
50 gram soft butter

Flour Paste:

3 tbsp flour
2 ½ - 3 tbsp water

1. In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with hook attachment, mix all the ingredients together except for the butter and dried fruits. Mix and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky add extra flour (1 tbsp) at a time to the dough.
2. Mix in the dry fruits and butter and continue to knead until smooth. Lightly oil the bowl, cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let the dough rest at a warm place until double in size. This will take 1 ½ to 2 hours.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough, shape the dough into a log and cut into 9 - 10 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and put it into the baking sheet. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place until almost doubled in size.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F. Prepare the flour paste. Combine the flour and water, stir into a smooth paste, add a little bit more water if it is too thick. Put into a piping bag.
5. Brush the bread with some egg wash, cut the piping bag and pipe flour paste over the top of the bread to create a cross. Baked the buns for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

May this Easter bring you hope, love and faith. Happy Easter!