Paul Hollywood's Hot Cross Buns

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Paul Hollywood's Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

For the buns:
500 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
10 g salt
75 g caster sugar
10 g instant yeast
40 g unsalted butter, softened
2 medium eggs, beaten
120 ml warm full-fat milk
120 ml cool water
150 g sultanas
80 g chopped mixed peel
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
1 sweet apple, cored and diced
2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the crosses:
75 g plain flour
75 ml water

For the glaze:
75 g apricot jam

Directions

1. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, eggs, milk, and half the water and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add the water, a little at a time, until you’ve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more – you want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 5-10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.

3. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size – at least 1 hour, but it’s fine to leave it for 2 or even 3 hours.

4. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and scatter the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple, and cinnamon on top. Knead in until evenly incorporated. Cover and leave to rise for a further hour.

5. Fold the dough inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out. Divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place fairly close together on 1 or 2 baking trays lined with baking parchment or silicone paper.

6. Put each tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to rest for 1 hour, or until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 425F.

7. For the crosses, mix the flour and water to a paste. Using a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle, pipe crosses on the buns. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Warm the apricot jam with a splash of water, sieve, and brush over the tops of the warm buns to glaze. Cool on a wire rack.