You caught me: I made hot cross buns at Easter while we were visiting our friends in Arizona but sadly their pantry did not contain icing sugar, so I was forced to skip the “cross” on the buns. They were exceptionally tasty (even without the icing cross), flavoured with warming spices and some rum-soaked currents.
Hot Cross-less Buns
For the original recipe, please click here.
To print this recipe, please click here.
This recipe makes 12 large, soft, pillowy buns.
Ingredients:
- 125 mL rum
- 100 g dried currants
- 375 mL milk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (save the white for the topping)
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 53 g light brown sugar
- 550-600 g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves or allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 85 g butter, room temperature
- 15 mL milk
Directions:
- Soak the currents in the rum for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the milk, eggs, yeast, brown sugar and whisk to combine. In the large bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder, whisk to combine.
- Add the softened butter to the flour mixture and mix until the butter is well combined (you may also do this with your fingers). Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and beat until a soft dough has formed (if it is too soft, add a bit more flour to it and beat). Meanwhile, strain the currents and add them to the dough and beat well. This is a very soft and sticky dough.
- Place in a well-greased bowl and allow to proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Prepare a large, high sided baking pan by buttering the base and all sides.
- When the dough has doubled in size, make about 112 g balls out of them. Place in the prepared pan and allow to rest with a clean cloth covering it for 1 hour.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375° F.
- Combine the left-over egg white with 15 mL milk and beat well. Brush the tops of the rolls with the mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 190° F. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Fresh out of the oven, these pillowy-soft buns are fragrant and delicious.
Notes:
- The original recipe called for 50% more currents but I felt it was a little too much so I reduced it.
- My dough was quite soft and sticky with the originally called-for flour, so I added a bit more flour.
- The original recipe wanted the leftover rum to be incorporated into the dough, but my dough was already too soft and sticky so I skipped it.
- This tip from King Arthur flour sounds quite interesting and I will try it next time I make this tasty recipe:
“Want to make these buns a day or so ahead of time? Try the tangzhong technique, a Japanese method for increasing the softness and shelf life of yeast rolls. Begin by measuring out the flour and milk you’ll be using in the recipe. Now take 3 tablespoons of the measured flour and 1/2 cup of the measured milk; put them in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens and forms a thick slurry; this will take about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer the cooked mixture to a bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, then combine it with the remaining flour, milk, and other dough ingredients. Proceed with the recipe as directed. Well-wrapped and stored at room temperature, your finished hot cross buns should stay soft and fresh for several days.”
Hooray,, NO CRISSES ON, thsnkyou , we just love sticky fruit buns,,, then we will put crosses on for Easter Week only ,
LikeLike
I made them! They came out perfect out of the hot oven,…so delicious!
LikeLike
Eva, the buns look wonderful, with or without the cross! As always, I admire your baking skills!
LikeLike
These buns sound delicious for any time of year, with or without the cross! That’s a really interesting tip about the slurry. I wonder why it would work? I’ll have to try it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was intrigued too, Jeff. I have yet to make the true Tangzhong milk bread, but will soon! Thank you for your comment.
LikeLike
Looking lovely, even without the cross. Actually not having a particularly sweet tooth, they might even look better without…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tend to agree, Frank. Thank you kindly for your comment.
LikeLike
Too good to only have once a year and I loved Gregg’s comment. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved it too, very clever. Thanks for your comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They look wonderful Eva, nice and plump and proud! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lorraine.
LikeLike
Non-Denominational?? GREG
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best comment ever! Love it!!!
LikeLike
No reason to have hot cross buns (with or without the cross!) only at Easter. The texture looks divine—perfect with a smear of butter!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Liz, there were soft as cotton and very tasty too.
LikeLike
These look great! And we always have them at Easter. Too good for only once a year, though — we should make them much more often. And the “crosses” never did anything for me, flavor-wise — bet I’d like them better this way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks John, they were for Easter while we were in Arizona. I found the crosses a bit bland as well, so we didn’t miss them either.
LikeLike
These look great. The dough may be easier to handle if you allow it to autolyse and use bread flour instead of all purpose (see my latest post on high hydration bread — with the amount of milk and eggs (and rum) this definitely qualifies as high hydration).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Stefan, I had limited resources because we were staying at a friends place and she only had AP flour. If I make it again, I’ll use bread flour as you recommended.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah that’s cool, so you are reporting what you actually prepared. Hence the “cross-less”.
LikeLike
Delicious looking buns even without the cross.
No icing sugar … I would have considered throwing some regular sugar in the food processor and blitzing the heck out of it. A bit of cornstarch and you’ve got ‘sort of’ icing sugar. It’s worth giving it a try. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great advice Maria, thank you. I will keep it in mind next time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
While I don’t mind the sugar cross on the buns, it does tend to make them harder to eat and store. These look so tasty!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Betsy, they were still a whole lot tasty that’s for sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think the sugar icing cross is a necessity here…I don’t add any icing for Easter buns either…these look very delicious!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Angie, they were pretty darn tasty.
LikeLike