Hot Cross Buns

Name: Hot Cross Buns
Yield: 12 buns
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: ⅔ cup currants or raisins, or a mixture of the two; ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off); 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon water; 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 10 pieces; ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar; ¼ cup finely diced candied citron or orange peel; ¼ teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger; 2 teaspoons water; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons sugar; ⅓ cup sugar; 1⅔ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off); 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast; ½ cup milk

Preparation info

12
buns

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

A Baker's Tour

By Nick Malgieri

Published 2005

About

Thought to derive from a kind of bun usually served after funerals, hot cross buns have become standard Lenten fare in English-speaking countries. This recipe calls for both currants or raisins and candied fruit. If you prefer, omit the candied fruit and replace it with more raisins or currants.

Ingredients

Sponge

½ cup milk
2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup</

Europe
Italy
United Kingdom
Mediterranean
Bread
England
Vegetarian

Method

For the sponge, heat the milk in a small saucepan until it is just lukewarm, no more than 110 degrees. Pour the warm milk into a medium bowl and whisk in the yeast. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the sponge ferment until it is bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the sponge is ready, prepare the dough. Comb