Steve Hodge of Temper Chocolate and Pastry shows Global BC how to make delicious hot cross buns.
Starter
1½ cups bread flour
2 tbsp instant dry yeast
2 cups milk
Combine the flour, yeast and milk. Mix on low speed with a dough hook attachment for two minutes and on medium speed for one minute. Ferment in room temperature for 30 minutes.
Dough
2 ⅓ cups bread flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon zest
½ cup butter
2½ tbsp honey
1 tsp molasses
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
Starter dough, recipe above
1 cup currents
3½ tbsp candied lemon peel
3½ tbsp candied orange peel
egg wash
Topping, recipe below
Preheat oven to 325F.
Method
Combine the flour, eggs, lemon zest, butter, honey, molasses, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and the starter and mix for four minutes on low speed with the dough hook and then for four minutes on high speed. Mix in currents and candied peel for one minute on low speed until smooth.
Rest the dough at room temperature until almost double in size, about 45 mins.
Divide the dough into balls and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment, leaving about eight centimetres between each bun. Lightly brush the dough with egg wash.
Rest the dough for another 45 minutes.
Brush the dough with egg wash again, pipe the topping into a cross on top of the buns, and dry them for five minutes.
Bake for about 18 minutes, until golden brown.
Topping
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup eggs, about 1 extra large egg
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 cups cake flour
Method
While the dough is resting, prepare the topping.
In a mixer, mix the butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and lemon zest.
Add the flour and mix thoroughly, scraping down the bowl.
Add to a piping bag or a Ziplock bag with the corner cut for piping and use immediately.