Cupcake Jemma's Hot Cross Buns | Recipe Test Review

Many of you wanted to see more Cupcake Jemma recipes, so today we're trying out her Hot Cross Buns recipe. These are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but they're so fluffy and delicious that they'd be a perfect addition to your brunch spread any time of year!

Ingredients
For the buns
500g strong white bread flour
10g instant dry yeast/quick yeast (or 1.5 tsp / 10g active dry yeast)
2 tsp salt, 10g (3 tsp if using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt)
50g caster sugar
2 tsp mixed spice (1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 lg egg
50g soft unsalted butter
350ml water at room temp
300g of dried fruit/mixed peel
Extra flour for kneading
For the crosses
75g plain flour
25g veg oil / ~2TBSP
75 - 100mL water
Finish with apricot jam

Process
Dough
Proof active dry yeast with 100mL of 110°F water & 1tsp removed from the 50g of sugar
Add dry ingredients to the bowl of stand mixer along with the egg, butter, proofed yeast, and remaining warm water
Mix over med-low until all dry ingredients moistened
Mix over med-high for 10-15 minutes until the dough starts to pull away from the edge of the bowl; every 3 minutes stop for 30-seconds to allow the gluten to relax
Once the dough has come together, add the dried fruits
Mix until the fruit seems mostly incorporated

Proof 1
Scrape dough into a big bowl that’s greased with neutral oil
Cover with cling film and allow to proof in a warm place until roughly doubled in size; about 1 hour

Degas & Proof 2
Turn out the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface
Fold it onto itself several times & tuck back in any fruit that fall out
Use a bench scraper and return to the same bowl
Cover and proof for 30 minutes until ~doubled in size

Shape Buns
Scrape out onto a lightly floured surface
Divide dough evenly into 12 buns (~100g per bun)
Tuck the edges underneath and roll gently until it forms a tight bun.
Place onto a piece of parchment paper about 2cm apart (you want them to expand and touch BUT not to smush all together into a blob)
Cover the shaped buns with cling film and allow to rise again in a warm place until ~doubled in size 20-40 minutes. CAREFUL not to over-proof

Make crosses
Whisk together all ingredients until smooth
Transfer to a piping back and cut off a smallish tip (about 0.5cm opening — this will spread out)

Bake: 190°C / 375°F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown

Finish: brush with warmed apricot jam while the buns are still warm

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#CupcakeJemma #HotCrossBuns #BrunchRecipe