Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns
If you don't have two days to make slow-fermented Sourdough Hot Cross Buns, but you still want that signature sourdough tang in your Easter buns, try our Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns. Full of fruit and warming spices, irresistibly soft and fluffy, these buns can be baked on the same day that they are made or cold-proofed overnight to be freshly baked in the morning!
Equipment
- Piping Bag With Small Nozzle for piping crosses
- Pastry Brush for glazing
Ingredients
For Soaked Fruit:
- 100 g raisins sultanas, currants or a mixture
- 60 g mixed peel
- 1 orange zest & juice
For The Dough:
- 450 g strong bread flour
- 7 g fast-action yeast instant yeast
- 55 g light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 220 ml milk
- 1 egg medium
- 150 g sourdough starter discard 100% hydration
- 60 g butter softened
For The Crosses:
- 45 g plain flour
- 35 ml water
For The Sugar Glaze:
- 50 g caster sugar
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Place the fried fruit, mixed peel, orange zest and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix, cover and leave to soak at room temperature.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, spices, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the milk, sourdough discard and an egg, and run the mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on low speed until shaggy dough forms.
- Increase the speed to medium, and little by little, start adding the softened butter until everything is fully incorporated and you have a soft and elastic dough.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and then knead the butter in on a kitchen surface, but be prepared for a sticky dough!
- Form a ball of dough and place it in a lightly greased large mixing bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel or cling film and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Line a large baking tray with high rims with a sheet of parchment paper (high rims will allow you to cover the buns for their second rise without the cover touching the surface).
- Drain the fruit and squeeze any excess moisture out.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and stretch it out into a rough rectangle. Scatter the fruit on top and stretch and fold the dough a couple of times to distribute the fruit well.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball, tucking in the bottom to create a smooth top.
- Place all the buns in a prepared baking tray, cover with cling film and leave in a warm spot for their second rise for 1-11/4 hours until doubled in size.
- Whilst the buns are rising, make a thick paste, by mixing the flour and water in a small bowl. Scoop the flour paste into a small piping bag with a small nozzle (or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off).
- Preheat the oven to 190°C Fan.
- Once the buns have finished proofing, pipe crosses on top of the dough.
- Place the buns in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.
- Whilst your Sourodugh Discard Hot Cross Buns are baking, make a simple syrup, by warming sugar and water until sugar dissolves.
- Once baked, using a pastry brush, slather the syrup all over the surface of the buns to create a shiny glaze. After about 10 minutes, transfer the buns onto a wire rack to cool down.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 153mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 187IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!