The Tivoli Road Baker (4): Hot Cross Buns

You know when you dream of something so much and then when it eventuates it can never be as good as what you hoped for? Well this unfortunately is the case for the recipe below.

 

I wait in anticipation each year for Tivoli Road Bakery to start making their hot cross buns. The first time I had one of their delicious buns, it was still warm from the oven with a sticky glaze on top. I’m not usually a fan of citrus peel and yet it was this element that I most fondly remember. So, when I decided to have a go at cooking hot cross buns (first time) my expectations were high. This is definitely not one of those recipes that you can start and expect the product within an hour, let alone two. In fact, it took me three days of steady prep to even have something to put in the oven (you can do it in two). The end product? They were dense buns that were far from golden and nothing like I had hoped for. To give you a sense of what I’m talking about, just think of the scene from About A Boy, when the boy throws the loaf of bread into the pond killing the unsuspecting duck. My advice, if in Melbourne, make a trip to Tivoli Road and don’t try this recipe at home!

 

Mess factor: *****

Weeknight meal appropriateness: N/A

Cook again: no – the real things can’t be replicated

 

 

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Hot Cross Buns

Makes 12 buns

The Tivoli Road Baker

 

brown sugar glaze:

100g soft brown sugar

100g water

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

5 cloves

 

dough:

200g full-cream milk

1 orange

500g + 50g bakers flour

40g soft brown sugar

10g salt

6g ground cinnamon

1g ground allspice

3g nutmeg, freshly grated

1g ground clove

1 egg, at room temperature

35g fresh yeast

50g butter, ideally cultured, softened

130g sourdough dough (optional)

85g currants, soaked in water overnight

85 sultanas, soaked in water overnight

85g raisins, soaked in water overnight

70g mixed peel

 

cross:

50g plain flour

25g self-raising flour

pinch salt

pinch sugar

65g water

15g oil

 

egg wash:

1 egg

splash full-cream milk

pinch salt

 

To make the brown sugar glaze, combine the sugar, water and spices in a small saucepan over a low heat. Bring it slowly to the boil, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes to infuse the spices. It will reduce slightly, making a fragrant sticky glaze. Pour the glaze into a container and store it at room temperature.

 

To start the bun dough, slowly bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over a medium heat, being careful not to let it boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

 

Place the orange in a medium sized saucepan and cover well with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil for about 1 hour, until a knife goes through it easily. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, quarter the orange and remove any pips. Place it in a blender and blend for a minute or two, until you have a smooth puree, then set aside to cool.

 

Combine 500g bakers flour with the sugar, salt and spices in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the milk, orange puree, egg and yeast, and add to the dry ingredients. Mix for five minutes on a medium speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and base of the bowl with a spatula to ensure that all of the dry mix is incorporated and that the mixture is forming one large ball of dough. Mix for another five minutes until the dough is smooth and strong, and comes away easily from the sides of the bowl.

 

With the mixer still running, incorporate the butter and sourdough dough, if using, a little at a time. Make sure they are being incorporated into the dough and not just coating the sides of the bowl – you may need to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. Mix for 2 – 3 minutes, until the dough is firm and shiny, not sticky or wet. Use the windowpane test to check the dough. Take a small ball of dough and gently stretch it between your hands – you should be able to stretch it very thin without it breaking. If you find that it breaks easily, mix for a few more minutes to continue working the gluten in the flour, then test it again. If you are mixing by hand, this step will take a good 15 minutes of folding.

 

Drain the fruit and sprinkle the remaining 50g of bakers flour over it. Add the fruit and the mix peel to the dough in three batches, then mix for 2 – 3 minutes, until the fruit is evenly dispersed.

 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench, and knead it for about a minute, then place it in a lightly greased bowl and fold it by lifting it up and over itself a few times, turn the bowl 90 degrees between each fold. Leave the dough to rest in the bowl, covered with a damp tea towel, for an hour. If you want to spread the workload over a couple of days, the dough will be fine if left in the fridge overnight at this point.

 

Knead the dough in the bowl for about 1 minute, then fold the dough by lifting it up and over onto itself a few times, turning the bowl 90 degrees between each fold. Leave it to rest, covered with the damp tea towel for up to 2 hours, or until risen by half. Gently press the dough; it’s ready if your finger leaves a dent in the surface. If the dough springs all the way, leave it longer, and then test again.

 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Take each piece and gently flatten the dough, then bring the edges together in the middle so it forms a rough ball. Turn it over so the seam is at the bottom, then cup your hand over the dough and roll it on the bench using firm pressure until it forms a nice tight round ball with a smooth, even surface. Cover the buns again with the damp tea towel, and leave them to rest for 15 – 20 minutes.

 

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line two trays with baking paper. On a lightly floured bench, take each bun and knock it flat, fold the edges into the middle, and then turn it over so the seam is at the bottom. Using firm pressure, roll it in your hand on the bench again. Putting pressure on the bun strengthens the dough; you want a round, firm ball that sits up on the bench rather than a saggy form.

 

Place the buns on the lined trays, evenly spaced out to allow for the eventual rise (if you prefer the look of clustered hot cross buns, place them side by side). Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for around 2 hours, until risen by half (the timing will depend on the weather). Test the buns again by gently pressing the surface – if your finger leaves a dent, you’re ready to bake; if the dough springs back it still needs more time.

 

To prepare the cross mix, combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Put this into a piping bag with a plain nozzle and set aside.

 

Make the egg wash by lightly whisking the egg, milk and salt in a small mixing bowl, then brush it evenly over the buns. Pipe a cross onto each bun.

 

Put the trays in the oven, reduce the temperature to 180°C and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the tray and bake for a further 3 – 5 minutes, until golden brown. While the buns are baking, warm the brown sugar glaze in a small saucepan. Once they are baked, use a pastry brush to coat the buns lightly in syrup. Cool slightly on a wire rack, but not for too long. They are best eaten when still warm, though they’re also excellent the next day, toasted, with lashings of butter.