Hot Cross Buns (a.k.a. Brunch Buns)
Posted on Jun 2, 2007 · Listed in Breads - Yeasted, Breakfast / Brunch
Delicious anytime. Why wait until Good Friday to make these? I make them for Sunday brunch whenever I want.
1 cup milk
1 package (2-1/4 tsp.) dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
4 cups flour - all purpose or bread
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/3 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter - at room temperature
2 large eggs - at room temperature
Icing Glaze:
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp. milk or half-n-half, or cream
In a small bowl, warm the milk in the microwave (or stove top) till it’s about 100 degrees. Add the yeast and the 1/2 tsp. sugar - whisk or stir; set aside for 10 minutes - the yeast gets foamy during this time. While the yeast is doing its thing. . .
In a large bowl, place the flour, brown sugar, all the spices and salt. Stir them all together. Add the yeast mixture and beat this together. One at a time at the eggs beating well after you add each. Gradually add the butter and mix it very well and until the dough comes together. Don’t get discouraged at this point, sometimes it looks like a sticky blob, but then you dump it out onto a a well-floured counter top and knead it for about 5 minutes. It comes together very nicely. Knead it into a ball.
Using cooking spray or butter or oil, lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough ball in, and turnover to make sure both side are greased. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm spot until it’s doubled its size - this takes about 90 minutes.
When dough is ready, take it out of the bowl onto a very lightly floured surface and punch it down. Roll it out into a long log-type shape and divide it into about 12 pieces. (You can pinch off 12 pieces from the dough ball if you want to. I use the log method because it works best for me for measuring purposes). Form each of the balls into a nice smooth ball and place on a baking sheet that you have lined with parchment paper or a very lightly greased sheet pan (parchment paper is a very good investment). Cover this with plastic wrap that you’ve lightly sprayed with cooking spray - to avoid sticking - and place in a warm spot for 30 minutes. Your best bet is to preheat your oven now to 400 degrees then place the tray on top of that for 30 minutes.
With a small, sharp knife, make an “X” into the top of each bun. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for about 20 minutes - they will be nicely browned. Place on a rack to cool.
Make the glaze by whisking/mixing both the sugar and milk together in a medium bowl. Pipe the “X” onto each bun or you can ice as you wish.
