Hot Cross Buns
This made some of the nicest hot cross buns I have ever tasted. I used the same dough as for the Asian Style Pain de Mie but added:
- two very generously heaped teaspoons of mixed spice (I made my own and used these ratios which I found on the internet)
16 parts cinnamon
8 parts coriander
4 parts allspice
2 parts ginger
2 parts nutmeg
1 part ground clove
I used whole spices and ground them up in a coffee grinder. I think using my own freshly ground spices made all the difference to this dough. The aroma was intoxicating. Nothing I have ever bought from a shop smells even remotely as fresh and as pungent as that. Omit this step at your own peril!
- 230g of raisins
I scaled them at about 90g a piece and arranged them close to (but not touching) one another on a baking tray. This amount of dough made 24 buns. For the cross on top I made a paste of flour and water which I sweetened with some sugar and then piped it on with a piping bag.
They took about 2 and a half hours to rise. I baked at 180C (with convection on) for 18 mins. I allowed them to cool slightly for five minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a wire rack to cool.
They are pillow soft and delightfully fragrant.
I expect them to keep well, too seeing that I used the water roux method. They took three and a half days to make from start to finsih but they were well worth the effort.
Syd
Comments
Hi Syd,
Those are terrific looking hot cross buns! The shaping, panning and piping are all spot on, which makes the presentation picture perfect. Very very nice! You don't mention the inclusion of any raisins and/or mixed fruit in the buns, which is typical of all the recipes I'm familiar with. Was this a personal preference, as I know a lot of folks aren't keen on the mixed fruit, or is it the way hot cross buns are made in your part of the world. Regardless, your hot cross look delicious!
Franko
Thanks, Franko. :) I added only raisins because that was all I had on hand. Next time I will definitely try adding some mixed fruit or some candied peel as Sylvia suggested. Thanks for your nice comments.
All the best,
Syd
Freshly ground spices make such a delicious addition! I can just smell that little photo of your spice filled bowl. I was also looking for the raisins and dried citrus as Franko mentioned. I make fresh dried candied citrus and have almost finished it off, snacking on it, now I need to make more for the HCB. If you have the time and like citrus rind, do try making your own..not the same as that store bought stuff.
This was one of my mum's favorite breads to bake and, take along on our fishing vacations. I still love HCB and make them all year long, they are great even plain without the icing cross, for just a breakfast or snack bun.
Sylvia
just noticed your note of raisins and now that I've opened up my eyes, I see them : ) Syd!
Sylvia
Thanks for noticing what I didn't Sylvia. Sorry Syd, I was too focused on the photos and missed the mention of raisins in the text.
Franko
Thanks, Sylvia. :)
I do love citrus, and that is most certainly something I will try in the future. I loved your post on Goji muffins with candied citrus peel: they were beautiful and are on my 'to do' list!
Syd
Hi Syd,
They look stunning. Very impressive baking.
Regards,
Gary
Thank you, Gary! :)
Syd
Beautiful hand work that's evident in the finished product. I like the spicing recipe you've incorporated. Thanks so much for sharing with us!
Nice bake!
Larry
Thanks, Larry! :)
Best.
Syd
They're picture perfect, syd. The piping is spot on, the crumb looks great. Grinding your own spice must have made a big difference.
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com
Thanks, Sue. :) Yes, grinding my own spice made all the difference. Everytime I grind my own spices (which is quite often) I always remind myself never to buy ground spice from the shop and keep them in my kitchen cupboard again (which I sometimes do out of convenience). Once ground, they lose flavour within days. So I buy spice whole and keep them tightly sealed in a container in the fridge and grind when needed.
Best,
Syd
"parts" in the spice formula....
Can I directly translate "parts" into grams?
I've got whole spices including cinnamon stick and fresh ginger. Suggestions?
...and reading over the pan de mie recipe, I'm guessing the spices were added in the final dough mix, long before the butter?
Mini :)
IMG_1686.JPG
Such a sticky mess kneading the final dough. I wanted to just let everything hydrate but my hands looked like duck feet, all webbed together and so stuck into the dough. I didn't use any flour and wasn't going anywhere, just played around folding. Then dough encouraged me to slap and fold.
Just couldn't see any other way to mix it. Cheap mixer would have died on the spot. So I tried to stretch it and slap it to the counter top. And repeat with some traditional kneading between. Went on for a while. So if you feel like a disaster is in the making while making this dough keep a cool head and enjoy the spice aromas. They will keep you going. Tip, wear a sweat band and short sleeves. After I added dried fruits and nuts I rolled the loaf into some AP bench flour and got control of the sticky dough. Dough was very easy to handle after it rested half an hour.
I just had to try this out before Easter. I went for the three day refrigerator retard, preferment didn't rise much. Still in process and will edit when done. Dough smells wonderful. Rise is very slow, due to spices.
Time to bake and I pulled up a chair to watch. After 10 minutes looking good except my crosses have disappeared! I am crossed! Yikes! After ten more minutes moved them up a notch in the oven and they are turning brown.... and with crosses! It's a miracle!
Syd,
Good looking HCB. Your buns are in even shape, size and the piping is spot on too. I bet they taste really good especially the next day because all the spices that you mix in the dough.
Kimmy
Thanks Kimmy! :) Drove past 吳寶春 again today and the line came out of the bakery and stretched around the corner. I didn't have any time to wait. So much for third time lucky!
Syd
I've been trying 3-4 HCB recipes for the last 2 Easters, and had already chosen the ones I'm going to use this Easter. One is Sylvia's from last year, which I've been looking forward to...but looks like I'll be adding another to make a queue of 3. Yours look so good they demand to be made this year and no correspondence will be entered into.
I grind my own spices for everything, and for some dishes also pre-roast them (although this is not always appropriate in all cuisines, since although heating 'freshens up' the spices, it also changes the flavour qualities to varying degrees). As you say, fresh-ground makes a big difference.
Thanks for your post!
Cheers!
Ross
Thanks for your comments, Ross. :) I also pre-roast my spices for some dishes (particularly Indian food). The roasting adds a whole new dimension.
All the best,
Syd
I've saved this one. Do you think a few walnut pieces would be ok, or would that be heresy?
Thanks, Louie! :) I think walnut pieces would be an excellent addition. Wishing I had thought of that myself!
Best,
Syd
They look Great, Syd! Are Hot cross buns intended to be Spicey..? i havn't eaten any yet.
Thanks, Khalid. :) Yes, I think all hot cross buns have some sort of a spice blend in them. I think it is the combination of spice and the raisins (or currants or dried mixed fruit) that distinguishes them from a plain enriched bun. They are great fresh but are lovely toasted, too.
All the best,
Syd
Thank you, Syd! I love the idea of making a sweet paste with flour, sugar, water, and then piping it on pre-baking. I've always piped on a confectioners' icing after baking/cooling, but then packaging is problematic. No matter how careful I am, I'm always licking my fingers. Not that this is such a terrible problem :) but I prefer your method.
Mimi
Thank you, Mimi. :) I got the idea of making the cross from a water/flour paste from The Bread Book by Linda Colister and Anthony Blake. It was the second book on bread baking that I ever bought and it is still one of my favourites for inspiration, plus I just love looking at its photos. I stand to be corrected, but I think that the water/flour paste is the more traditional way of making the cross on the buns. I have never eaten one from a bakery with icing on it.
Best,
Syd
Syd, Your spice mix sounds incredible. And what a steady hand you have with the pastry bag!
Those hot cross buns are real beauties - your post is on going on my favorites list, for Easter.
Thanks for sharing this!
from breadsong
Thanks, Breadsong! :)
All the best,
Syd
Hello Syd,
I tried making your Hot Cross Buns. I tasted a bit of one, and love the flavor and soft, tender crumb!
Thanks so much for the 'pain de mie' formula and method - and the fresh ground spices are fabulous in these buns.
I used Mr. Hamelman's crossing paste but I prefer the look of yours.
I tried to firm up the crossing paste, in the fridge (then the freezer), to make it easier to pipe (this crossing paste has butter and did not hold its shape like yours did during baking).
Next time I make these I'll try to mix up crossing paste more like you've described (note for next year!).
Here are some pictures -
Thanks so much Syd -
from breadsong
You're welcome, breadsong. :) Your hot cross buns look lovely! Yes, I think you want the crossing paste to be as plain as possible so that it doesn't brown and thus provides as much contrast with the bun as possible. The buns are rich enough on their own and don't need any help from the paste. You also want the consistency of it to be just pipeable. In other words you want to make it so that if it were any stiffer, it would be very difficult to squeeze out the nozzle. Too much liquid and it will run. I mixed up the paste three times before I was satisfied with the consistency.
All the best,
Syd
Thanks Syd, so much, for your advice and 'how to' for the crossing paste.
I will keep this in mind for next year.
I'm so glad to have tried these, and the water roux method. The flavor and texture are amazing.
Thanks again, Syd!
from breadsong
They look lascious, Syd! They are really perfect looking hot buns!! I like the freshly grounded spices, too !! The wonderful aroma will come out from the buns. Very nice, Syd!!
Best wishes,
Akiko
Thanks, Akiko! :) They were really well worth the effort.
All the best,
Syd
I keep coming back to this recipe........I can smell the spices from here ( I love making my own fresh spices) These look amazing and I'm going to start them in the morning, thanks for the recipe.
You're welcome. :)
Come to NYC. Almost all hot cross buns here have piped on icing. Entenmann's is just one example. It is hard to find hot cross buns that don't have piped on icing here. I hate the stuff and love that you made the piped on stuff the right way. Will be trying this one.
I know that this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say that I made these with sourdough leaven at weekend; they turned out wonderfully, and had a life expectency of 30 seconds round the family home. Just as well really, my poor mother had hers turn out like rock cakes.
Thanks!
You're welcome Grenage. Was sourdough your only leaven or did you add yeast, too? There is about 15% sugar in that dough and my sourdough leaven doesn't do well with all that amount of sugar. It will rise, but it takes a long time and has less volume than regular yeast.
Best,
Syd
Hi Syd,
It was my only leaven, and it did take a rather long time to rise; the centre wasn't as fluffy as your baker's yeast results. That's most likely down to my beginner level of skill, and using a different yeast. Still, gorgeous result that I'd have no problems with again!
instant yeast. I baked too soon after waiting too long. And when they had cooled off, they were not so fluffy. Still tasted good though. I think the yeast needs to be doubled in the final dough especially if in winter as the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are working against the yeast. I used 10g of mixed spices. The recipe called for only 5 g yeast.
Those are the nicest hot cross buns that anyone could imagine. The spice mix has to put them over the top. I use a similar SM all my fruit pies, and tortes it seems.
Thanks dabrownman. The dough is beautifully soft (although it does take a while to make) and the fresh spice mix gives it a special flavour. Thanks for commenting. :)
Syd
Hello Syd
I just saw tghis and it looks lovely. I like the use of freshly ground spices. it is a wonderful mix.
I must admit my buns was rather timid compared to yours , I did get a few good comments from people though so I cannot complasin.
Take care until next time
Albert
You're welcome Albert! I am glad they turned out well.
Best,
Syd