Hot Crossed Buns made with Fresh Milled Flour
by Wheat Berries & Butter
These lovely buns are inspired by both Mary Berry’s and Americas Test Kitchen’s Hot Crossed Buns, but made with Fresh Milled Whole Wheat Flour. They are loaded with lemon and spices as well as currents and topped with a beautiful cross and syrup to perfect the flavors.
Serving size: 16 pieces
Prep: 15 minutes, on 4 different occasions, 60 minutes total
Bake: 22-24 minutes
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Ingredients
525g flour (4-4 ½ cups, I used 325 gram
hard white + 200 g kamut)
I cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vital wheat gluten
â…“ cup honey
1.5 tsp salt
6 tbsp salted butter, melted
I tbsp instant yeast
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp ginger
zest of small lemon
70g (½ cup) currants
Topping
1 cup flour
¼ cup water (120 g)
For the syrup:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
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Alternative: Frosting for the cross
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
Add milk 1 tbsp at a time until consistency is thin enough to pipe on and thick enough to holds its shape when piped.
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Directions
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Mixed flour and milk. Autolyse for about 20 minutes.
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Add vital wheat gluten, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, instant yeast, zest of small lemon, honey, melted butter, and eggs.
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Knead. I use a kitchen aid mixer on level 2 for 3 minutes. Rest three minutes. Repeat. And repeat a third time.
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Fold currants in by hand.
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Allow to rise until doubled, 1-2 hours in a warm spot.
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Shape into 16 buns into balls, flatten slightly.
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Cover and allow to rise to double.
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Make topping by mixing flour and water and load into pastry bag with tip (either round or wide and flat).
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Draw a cross onto the top of the buns.
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Bake at 350° for 24-26 minutes until buns begin to brown.
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Mix syrup for topping: sugar and water.
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Use a pastry brush to coat syrup onto the buns.
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Move to a cooling rack to cool.
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My favorite tools for this recipe:
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Airbake Cookie Sheet (double layer so nothing burns):