Hot Cross Buns!
Hot Cross Buns!
One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, give em to your son
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
This is a nursery rhyme song that I always sing with my twins. Why one bun and two buns cost the same I can never understand, but then again I can’t understand the new generation of pop songs nonsensical lyrics anyway. (Seriously If you don’t know what I’m talking about you should see this video)
I have never had a hot cross buns though I have heard of this bun before, so this is my first attempt at making them and eating them. but let me tell you, it is actually just a spiced raisin bun. I made it using the ‘water roux’ method so that the buns will stay soft for many days.
Ingredients
350 gram bread flour
50 gram sugar
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp milk powder (optional)
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, whisked
1 tsp mix spice or cinnamon
125 ml milk
30 gram butter, softened
100 gram raisin
120 gram water roux (see below)
4 tbsp plain flour
2-3 tbsp water
To prepare water roux
Water roux should always be 1:5 flour to water. So for this recipe since we require 120 gram of water roux, just stir 20 gram bread flour to 100 gram water and mix well. Put in a non stick pan and heat it up over medium flame and continue to stir. The mixture will start to thicken. When the temperature hits 65 degree or when your spoon cuts through the mixture and you can see the bottom of the pan take it off the heat immediately. Cool in to room temperature before using.
Instructions
- Place the bread flour, yeast, milk powder, salt, sugar, mix spice in mixer and mix well. Then add in 3/4 of the whisked egg, reserving the rest for the egg wash later and place in the fridge. Add in the milk and water roux and mix. When the dough has come together, add in the butter and knead for 10 minutes. Add in raisin and knead for 5 minutes until dough is elastic. Form the dough into a ball, grease and covered in oiled bowl and let rise for 40minutes or till dough double in size.
- Deflate dough and knead a few times. Divide dough out into 12 pieces and roll into balls and place on a lined baking tray, 1 cm apart. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Mix the plain flour with the water to form a paste. Brush the left over whisk egg as egg wash on the bun. Put the paste in a piping bag or plastic bag and cut away the sharp tip to squeeze the paste out. Form a cross over the buns with the paste.
- Bake for 15-20minutes or when bun turns golden brown.
