There’s always something special about Sunday mornings. They are a wonderful time to slow down, do some reflecting, and enjoy these Sunday-Best Hot Cross Buns. The puffy, baked buns filled with tangy currants and topped with sweet icing offer just the right amount of spice and are the perfect way to start your day. Some only enjoy Sunday-Best Hot Cross Buns once a year, but these soft pillows of dough really are a welcome pastry at any time. So, put on your Sunday best, slow down a bit, and enjoy this delightful delicacy. They will give you something to sing about!
Ingredients
For the buns:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 (.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar, plus more, to taste
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more, to taste
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more, to taste
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup currants, plumped in the microwave and cooled
- 1 egg
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1 –Heat a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches at least 100 degrees F and exceeds no more than 110 degrees F.
Step 2 –Add the water and the milk to the saucepan, mix well, and heat until it is warm.
Step 3 –Transfer the milk mixture away from the heat and lightly sprinkle it with the dry yeast, the extra sugar, and the extra flour.
Step 4 –Set the yeast mixture aside, without stirring, until it is foamy and rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
Step 5 –Whisk the butter, the egg yolk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vanilla into the yeast mixture.
Step 6 –In a large bowl, whisk the remaining all-purpose flour, the remaining sugar, the fine salt, the nutmeg, the cinnamon, and the ginger together.
Step 7 –Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the yeast mixture until the dough is thick, shaggy, and slightly sticky.
Step 8 –Stir the currants into the dough and mix well, but don’t overwork the dough.
Step 9 –Lightly flour a flat and clean surface.
Step 10 –Transfer the dough to the worksurface and knead until it is soft and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Step 11 –Shape the dough into a ball.
Step 12 –Brush the inside of a bowl with the extra butter.
Step 13 –Transfer the dough ball to the buttered bowl and turn to lightly coat it with the butter.
Step 14 –Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Step 15 –Butter a 9×14-inch baking dish.
Step 16 –Transfer the dough to a flat and clean surface and use your hands to pat it into an 8×16-inch rectangle.
Step 17 –Use a pizza wheel or a bench scraper to divide the dough into 12 equal portions that weigh about 2 ounces each. If you don’t have a scale, divide the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise, and cut the four sections into three equal-size rolls.
Step 18 –Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls and transfer them, seam-side down, to the prepared pan, leaving a little space between each roll.
Step 19 –Cover the rolls with buttered plastic wrap and let them sit in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim of the pan, about 45 minutes.
Step 20 –Adjust a rack in the center of the oven.
Step 21 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 22 –In a small bowl, add the egg and beat well.
Step 23 –Discard the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the buns with the beaten egg.
Step 24 –Bake the buns until they are golden-brown and puffy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part registers 190 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
Step 25 –Transfer the buns to a wire rack.
Step 26 –While the rolls are baking, in a medium bowl, add the confectioners’ sugar, the milk, the lemon zest, and the remaining vanilla and mix until it is smooth.
Step 27 –Transfer the glaze to a pastry bag, move it to the top of the bag, and make a small cut in the empty bottom corner of the bag.
Step 28 –Use the pastry bag to glaze the buns in a cross-shaped fashion.
Step 29 –Serve.