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Hot Cross Buns
Made with orange zest, bourbon (for plumping the currants and in a finishing glaze) and buttermilk instead of regular milk, our hot cross buns are deliciously light and tender, with just the right buttery sweetness. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is an amber-hued sweetener common to the U.K.; we like the butterscotch notes it adds, but honey works, too. The work is spread over a couple days so the buns can be baked and served for breakfast or brunch. If you wish to bake the buns the same day, after shaping them, let them rise at room temperature until just shy of doubled, about an hour. Halfway into rising, heat the oven and prepare the egg wash and piping mixture. Once doubled, brush the buns with egg wash and pipe on the crosses, then bake and glaze as directed. Store extra buns in an airtight container up to three days; rewarm wrapped in foil in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes
12 buns
Tip
Don’t heat the buttermilk to bring it to room temperature. Buttermilk curdles easily; it’s best to let it stand at room temperature. Don’t forget to pat the currants dry after draining their soaking liquid. Additional moisture can make the rather sticky dough difficult to handle when shaping. Finally, be sure to reserve the bourbon that remains after draining the currants. It’s used later to make the glaze.
13 hours
1¼ hours active, plus cooling
For the dough:
-
93
grams (⅔ cup) dried currants
Directions
-
01To make the dough, in a small microwave-safe bowl, stir the currants and bourbon. Microwave, uncovered, on high until warm, about 30 seconds, stirring once. Stir again, then set aside until plump, about 15 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl; reserve the liquid. Turn the currants onto a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry; set aside.
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April 1, 2024
Great but need more fruit
I am far from an experienced maker of enriched doughs, but this recipe turned out really well: pillowy soft buns that were a special treat to welcome spring. Next time, I will add 50% more spices (the recipe writer's are likely fresher/stronger than mine), and I will try to add more fruit (30-40% more?). I don't know if it will work but the buns were lacking a bit there. Much to my surprise, I liked the fruit soaked in bourbon; but I'm curious to add more tanginess to the fruit so I will reduce the bourbon and supplement with orange or lemon juice. I have never loved currants so I used the fruit in my pantry (Thompson raisins, golden raisins, cranberries, blueberries, and diced apricots), and that was great. I didn't love the glaze as written, though: when warming the bourbon for the glaze, I mixed in some apricot jam that would typically have been the glaze on its own. Despite these little notes, I maintain this a great recipe and novice bakers can make it happen with some focused attention and time.
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