Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

When it came to starting my sourdough journey I did not realise the possibilities this new found hobby would bring. Sourdough Hot Cross Buns – get out of town.

And if you haven’t read my Beginners guide to Sourdough you can read it HERE. With a recipe and instructions on how to bake your own bread.

The journey continues – and to be honest it’s only going to keep growing – to watch me daily head over to instagram and follow me at @thefigure_

Then once you have that downpat you can start making an abundance of other yummy things.

Easter isn’t Easter with hot cross buns and it does sadden me that they make them (sans cross) throughout the year now – but I’m sticking traditional here.

Over the last few years as my health journey continues the more home cooking I’ve done. When you start reading the labels of packets on food you buy you start to realise so much of it has preservatives and additives. We know a lot of these are not good for our health – gut health and long term health. A few here or there is fine – but the more we consume and when you realise how often it pops up in store bought food – the more motivation it gives me to bake and cook at home.

When I realised you could do Sourdough Hot Cross Buns – I was sold. I’m so into my groove of baking now – nothing seems too overwhelming anymore. Like anything – practice makes proficient right.

So Hot Cross Buns aren’t you ultimate health food in any way. They’re there for a little indulgence. While most of the ingredients are nutritious, the addition of butter, an egg and honey the calorie content does grow. (Don’t’ get me wrong – eggs and honey are very nutritious but if we’re talking about a calorie standpoint – they’re a little higher than you’re average sourdough bun). With the additional of the starter however – this does add the element of good bacteria for your gut health – making sourdough hot cross buns a happy choice for those that have gut issues already – and a little peace of mind that there is goodness inside.

These will take 2 days to make so patience is necessary. Which I know is hard when making something so delicious.

• 500g bread flour
• 9g salt
• 115g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
• 50g honey
• 240ml full cream milk – warmed up
• 1 egg
• 100g bubbly sourdough starter
• 80g raisins
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp all spice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

GLAZE

• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• splash of water

CROSS

• 4 tbsp cream cheese – room temperature
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter – softened
• 1 cup icing sugar, make sure it’s sifted
• 80 ml milk
• 1/2 tbsp orange zest

Warm the milk and set aside.

In a stand mixer, mix together the flour and salt, add the butter one cube at a time with the machine running.  To evenly disperse the butter throughout the dough. Add the honey, warm milk, starter and eggs to the bowl.  Mix for 1 minute – then using your hands bring it together into a ball, cover with biodegradable plastic wrap and leave for 30 minutes.

Soak the chopped raisins in the vanilla extract.  While you wait.

Put the raisins (with the liquid) and spices into the bowl with the dough, and with a dough hook on medium/low speed – mix for approx 8-10 minutes.  You want the dough to come away from the sides.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and bench rest. Do 2 sets of stretch and folds 1 hour a part, cover in between. Then cover and leave on the bench overnight for 12-24 hours.    You want it to triple in size.

The next day, coat the sides and base of a 23cm x 35cm pan

Shape the dough in to a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Shape the dough into little balls and place them in the pan evenly spaced apart.

Cover the pan with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm for 2-3 hours until they’ve doubled in size.