I am so happy to finally be able to share with you one of my favorite Classic Hot X Buns recipe! I mean, I have only been making these babies and testing out the recipes on Christmas time last year and keenly waiting for the right timing for sharing them. So, let's just say I have been eating hot X buns wayyyyy ahead of any person.
Hot x buns has always been a favorite of mine so I don't quite mind having them any time of the year. The recipe below yields 9 scrumptious roll and is so soft and fluffy you may consider doubling the recipe if you have a big household.
It is recommended that you wrap and seal the rolls immediately after it cools slightly to keep the buns nice and soft for longer. Anyway, I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
Duration: 4 hours
Equipment: (200 mm x 200 mm x 70 mm depth) Square removable base baking pan
Yield: 9 x hot x buns
RECIPE
Yeast Sponge
40 g 10% Baker's Flour flour
190 g 50 % Full cream milk at 40 C
10 g 2.6% Caster sugar
7 g 1.8% Instant dry yeast
Hot Cross Spice mix
1/2 tsp. Ground Clove
1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ground ginger
Final Dough
170 g 44.7% Plain Flour (not baker's flour)
170 g 44.7% Whole wheat Baker's flour
60 g 15.8% Unsalted butter, softened
60 g 15.8% Caster sugar
50 g 13% Egg
3 g 0.78% Fine salt
Above -- All the spice mix
130 g 34% Dried Sultanas
Above Yeast Sponge
Piping Paste Ingredients:
80 g Plain flour
25 g vegetable oil
60g water
Glaze Ingredients:
50 g Caster sugar
50 g Boiling water
Method:
1. For the sponge, gently heat the milk to approximately between 35 - 40°C. Place all the other ingredients (flour, salt and instant yeast) into a bowl then whisk in the warm milk. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes or until the surface of the mix starts to become frothy or when the mixture increase twice in volume.
2. Place all the final dough ingredients: Plain flour, whole wheat baker's flour, salt, the additional sugar, spice mix softened butter and eggs into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Add in the yeast sponge and proceed by mixing on low speed for 3 minutes until the ingredients comes together and form into a rough dough.
3. Scrape the side and bottom of the dough whenever necessary and continue to mix over medium speed for 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, pour approximately 50 g hot boiling water over the sultanas in a bowl and leave to sit for 5 minutes. Strain the sultanas and discard the liquid.
To test if the dough is ready, simply pinch a palm size dough and gently stretch it with your two hands. If you are able to stretch it thin enough to see through like a "window", it is ready.
Once the dough passes the "window test", add in the hydrated sultanas and mix on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until the fruits and dough are just combined.
4. Transfer the dough onto your work bench without any oil or flour and knead the dough with slightly damp hands to distribute the sultanas evenly in the dough. Roll the dough in to a smooth ball. Lightly spray a bowl large enough for the dough to double in volume, then place the ball of dough into the bowl, seam side down. Cover with a tea towel and allow to bulk proof for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
Note: Bulk proofing time may vary depending on the ambient in your kitchen. The dough should increase to double in size.
5. Once the dough have doubled in volume, transfer the dough onto your work surface without dusting any flour. Gently knock down the dough to release some of the excess gas in the dough. Divide the dough in to 9 x 95 g portion.
Roll each portion of the dough in to a smooth ball. Lightly grease the baking tin with some oil at the base and the side then place the portioned dough into the tin leaving a small space between each dough.
Cover the baking tin with tea towel and let it final proof for another 1 to 2 hours or until it double in size again. The time taken will depend on the ambient of your kitchen.
To test if the dough is ready for the oven to bake, gently press your index finger on the surface of the dough. It should lightly dent the top of the dough and gradually bounce back. If it does not bounce back at all, it will need more time to bulk proof.
Meanwhile, pre heat the oven to 170°C at fan force.
6. Prepare the hot cross mix by whisking all the ingredients together until there are no big lumps of flour. Transfer the paste into a piping bag.
When the dough is ready to bake, cut a small hole on the piping bag with the cross paste then pipe cross over the top of the bread.
Bake the hot x buns in the pre heated oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes until the top starts to turn golden brown in color.
7. Remove the hot cross buns from the oven and brush the sugar syrup immediately over the top to seal off the steam (this will give your bread a shine on the top as well as keep them moist for longer)
Carefully lift and remove the buns from the tin and leave on the wire rack to fully cool.
Video Summary
