Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 plastic dough scraper or flexible spatula
- 1 9x13 inch baking pan
- 1 Wire rack
- 1 pastry brush
- 1 piping bag or small zip-top bag
- 1 measuring jug
- 1 clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 150 gram active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 250 gram whole milk lukewarm
- 80 gram unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 80 gram granulated sugar
- 500 gram bread flour
- 8 gram fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 150 gram raisins or sultanas
- 50 gram mixed peel optional
- 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated
- 50 gram water for soaking fruit hot
- 50 gram bread flour for crosses
- 60 gram water for crosses
- 50 gram apricot jam for glaze
- 1 tablespoon water for glaze
Instructions
- In a small bowl soak the raisins and mixed peel in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes then drain and pat dry.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the lukewarm milk, melted butter, egg, sugar, and active sourdough starter until smooth.
- Add the bread flour, salt, cinnamon, mixed spice, and nutmeg to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- After resting, gently knead or stretch and fold the dough in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to feel smoother.
- Add the soaked and dried fruit and orange zest to the dough and knead or fold until the fruit is evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl and bulk ferment at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, performing 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 to 45 minutes during the first 2 hours.
- When the dough has increased by about 60 to 80 percent in volume and feels airy, transfer it to the fridge to cold proof for 8 to 12 hours.
- The next day lightly flour your work surface, turn out the chilled dough, and divide it into 12 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a tight ball by cupping your hand around it and circling on the work surface until smooth and taut.
- Arrange the dough balls in a greased or parchment-lined 9x13 inch pan, spacing them evenly in a 3 by 4 grid.
- Cover the pan loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until the buns are puffy and touching.
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- For the crosses, mix the bread flour and water in a small bowl to form a thick pipeable paste, adding a little more water if needed.
- Transfer the paste to a piping bag or small zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
- Pipe straight lines across the buns in one direction, then pipe lines in the other direction to form crosses.
- Bake the buns for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature of about 200°F (93°C) is reached.
- While the buns are baking, warm the apricot jam and 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan until fluid, then strain if desired.
- As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the tops with the warm apricot glaze.
- Let the buns cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool further before serving.
Notes
For best flavor, use a lively, recently fed starter and avoid overproofing, which can cause the buns to spread and lose height; the dough should feel light and puffy but still spring back slowly when gently pressed. If your kitchen is cool, extend the proofing time rather than moving to a very warm spot, which can soften the butter too much and weaken structure. Adjust hydration slightly if your flour is very strong or your fruit releases moisture, adding a sprinkle of flour only if the dough is too sticky to handle. The overnight cold proof develops flavor and makes shaping easier, but you can shorten it to 4 to 6 hours in the fridge if needed. These buns are best the day they are baked, yet they reheat beautifully when split and toasted, and leftovers can be turned into excellent bread-and-butter pudding.
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