Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

Yield:

4.31 kg

• Sponge - Step 1

  • 740 Grams High Gluten/Bread Flour
  • 43 Grams Instant Dry Yeast
  • 917 Grams Milk

• Final Dough - Step 2

  • 1.100 KG High Gluten/Bread Flour
  • 298 Grams Eggs
  • 30 Grams Lemon Zest
  • 200 Grams Soft Unsalted Butter
  • 60 Grams Honey
  • 10 Grams Malt Syrup
  • 10 Grams Sugar
  • Pinch Ground Cinnamon
  • Pinch Ground Nutmeg
  • Pinch Ground Allspice
  • 40 Grams Salt
  • 1.700 KG Sponge (from above)
  • 550 Grams Currants
  • 200 Grams Candied Lemon Peel

• Egg Wash - Step 3

  • 230 Grams Eggs
  • 250 ML Milk
  • Pinch Salt

• Hot Cross Bun Topping - Step 4

  • 230 Grams Melted Unsalted Butter
  • 230 Grams Sugar
  • 45 Grams Eggs
  • 170 Grams Milk
  • 15 Grams Vanilla Extract
  • 10 Grams Lemon Zest
  • 455 Grams Cake Flour

• Glaze - Step 5

  • 255 Grams Apricot Jam
  • 180 ML Water
  • 255 Grams Light Corn Syrup
  • 45 ML Liquor (such as rum)

Preparation

Difficulty:

Medium

Time:

120 Minutes

Total Time:

120 Minutes

1. Sponge Preparation

   1. Combine flour, yeast, & milk.
   2. Mix on low speed with dough hook attachment for 2 minutes. Mix on medium speed for another 1 minute.
   3. Ferment for 30 minutes.

2. Final Dough Preparation

   1. Combine flour, eggs, lemon zest, butter, honey, malt syrup, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, & sponge.
   2. Mix for 4 minutes on low speed with dough hook attachment & for 4 minutes on high speed.
   3. Mix the currants & candied peel for 1 minute on low speed until smooth.
   4. Ferment the dough until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes.
   5. Divide the dough into 60 grams per piece. Shape each dough into a tight round.
   6. Ferment for another 15 minutes
   7. Reshape the pieces of dough into tight rounds and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving approximately 3 inches between each bun.
   8. Lightly brush the dough with egg wash (recipe in next section).
   9. Ferment the dough for another 45 minutes.
   10. Brush the tops of the dough pieces with egg wash (recipe in next section) & let them dry for 5 minutes.
   11. Fill pastry bag fitted with #2 tip with the Hot Cross Bun Topping (recipe in next section) and pipe a cross on each bun.
   12. Bake at 375 F for a deck oven or 350 F for convection oven until golden brown, approximately 18 minutes.
   13. Heat the Glaze (recipe in the next section). Remove buns from oven & brush with hot glaze. Cool completely on racks.

3. Egg Wash Preparation

   1. Combine eggs, milk, & salt with wire whip.

4. Hot Cross Topping Preparation

   1. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, & lemon zest, scraping down bowl occasionally.
   2. Add flour & mix thoroughly, scraping down bowl.
   3. Use immediately.

5. Glaze Preparation

   1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan & stir.
   2. Bring to boil, stirring to incorporate.
   3. Note: use glaze while still warm, applying with a pastry brush.