Whether or not your celebrate Easter, these hot cross buns are a delicious excuse to refresh your sourdough starter!
Fermented foods, like sourdough, are better for your gut because good bacteria have already begun digesting the food for you. This makes more nutrients from the food available to your body and goes a bit easier on your digestive system.
These buns are a treat though! Packed with sweet fruit, spices and a touch of sugar and honey they are the perfect treat to enjoy over the long weekend.
If you don’t have your own sourdough starter, check out our video tutorial that shows you how with just two simple ingredients: flour and water!
These hot cross buns are slow fermented overnight in the fridge, so while they are simple to make they do require you to be home for a day or so.
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients:
- 60g butter, melted
- 150g sourdough starter (at 100% hydration)
- 500g white bakers flour
- 50g raw sugar
- 5g salt
- 200g milk
- 1 egg
- 50g mixed peel
- 100g sultanas
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp cloves
- Runny honey, for glazing
Method:
Mix all dough ingredients and knead until smooth. Let rest one hour.
First stretch and fold: In the bowl, stretch one side of dough out and then fold it over itself. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat this step. Repeat rotation and fold two more times. Let rest 30 minutes.
Second stretch and fold: as per first stretch and fold above. Let rest 30 minutes.
Third stretch and fold: as per first stretch and fold above. Let rest 30 minutes.
Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.
Next morning shape into 12 buns.
Place buns in a greased pan to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200c.
For crosses:
- ½ cup flour
- 5 tbsp water
Mix to a smooth paste.
Put into an icing bag. Pipe crosses on buns.
Place buns in hot oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Rotate pan, bake another 10 mins until golden.
Remove from oven and glaze while hot with honey.
