Hot cross buns

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Heat 280 g whole milk with 50 g unsalted butter over low heat just until the butter melts, then take it off the heat to cool a little. The milk should only be about 38°C so the yeast works well without being killed. It's ready when it feels pleasantly warm, not hot, when you dip in a finger.

   Low heat.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Mix 500 g bread flour with 7 g instant yeast, 60 g granulated sugar, 7 g salt, 4 g ground cinnamon, 2 g ground allspice, a pinch of ground nutmeg and 5 g orange zest, then pour in the milk and butter along with 50 g eggs and knead for about ten minutes. Thorough kneading builds a gluten network strong enough to hold the fruit while the buns still rise nicely. The dough is ready when it is soft, slightly tacky, elastic, and stretches thin without tearing.

   Suggested time: about 10 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Press the dough flat on the counter, scatter 150 g raisins and 50 g candied fruit over it, then roll it up and fold it over a few times. Adding the fruit after kneading keeps it whole and stops it from tearing the dough. The dough is ready when the fruit is evenly scattered throughout.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm spot for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Spices and fruit slow the yeast down a bit, so be patient. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and a fingertip dent springs back only partway.

   Suggested time: about 75 minutes.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces, roll each into a tight, smooth ball, and set them close together in a parchment-lined rectangular pan. Packing them closely lets the buns rise against each other, keeping the sides soft instead of dry. The buns are ready when they are all the same size, smooth on top, with only small gaps between them.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Cover the pan with a towel and let the buns rise for about forty-five minutes more while you preheat the oven to 200°C. This rise makes the crumb light and fluffy. They're ready when the buns have puffed up to touch each other and look soft and plump.

   Suggested time: about 45 minutes.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Stir 60 g all-purpose flour with 60 g water into a smooth, thick paste, spoon it into a piping bag with a small tip, and pipe one straight line down and one across each row of buns. The paste has to be thick enough to hold its lines as the buns rise in the oven. It's right when it flows in a continuous line that doesn't break or spread.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Bake at 200°C for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the pan once halfway through if your oven heats unevenly. High heat browns the crust quickly while the crumb stays moist. The buns are done when the tops are a deep golden brown, the crosses are ivory, and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.

   Bake at 200°C for about 20 to 25 minutes.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Warm 40 g fruit jam with 15 g water over low heat until runny, strain out any bits of fruit, and brush it over the buns straight out of the oven. The hot jam soaks into the crust, adding shine and a gentle sweetness. The buns are ready when the tops are glossy and the glaze has dried to a non-sticky finish after a few minutes.

   Low heat.

   Mark step 9 as done