Spiced Holiday Buns (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For Yeast Proofing
01 -
¼ cup lukewarm water (105-110°F/40-43°C)
02 -
2¼ teaspoons quick or active dry yeast (single packet)
03 -
1 teaspoon white sugar
→ For Bun Dough
04 -
1 cup lukewarm milk
05 -
¼ cup melted sweet butter (57g)
06 -
½ cup white sugar (100g)
07 -
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
08 -
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
09 -
1½ teaspoons table salt
10 -
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
11 -
1 cup dried currants
12 -
3-3½ cups plain flour (390-455g)
→ For Cross Decoration
13 -
¼ cup plain flour (32g)
14 -
3-4 tablespoons tap water
→ For Maple Glaze
15 -
¼ cup icing sugar (31g)
16 -
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
17 -
2-3 teaspoons milk
# Instructions:
01 -
Mix the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar in a small cup. Leave it alone for 10 minutes till it gets foamy, showing your yeast is alive and ready.
02 -
Combine lukewarm milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a big bowl. Stir in the foamy yeast mixture and dried currants until everything's well mixed.
03 -
Start with 2 cups of flour, mix it in, then slowly add more bit by bit. Keep working it with your hands or a wooden spoon. You want a dough that's soft and a little tacky, using up to 3½ cups flour in total.
04 -
Put your dough in a big greased bowl and cover it with cling film or a clean tea towel. Stick it somewhere warm until it doubles up, about 1½ hours.
05 -
Push down the puffy dough and cut it into 12 even pieces. Roll each bit into a nice round ball, tucking ends underneath. Space them out in a lightly oiled 9×13-inch baking tray.
06 -
Cover your buns with cling film and wait another hour till they puff up again and fill the pan.
07 -
Stir together flour with just enough water to make a thick goop that'll pipe well. Pop it into a sandwich bag, seal it up, and snip a tiny hole in one corner to make a simple piping bag.
08 -
Squeeze lines of the flour mix across your buns to make crosses. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-23 minutes until they're lightly golden on top.
09 -
Let the buns cool in the pan for 15 minutes. While waiting, mix icing sugar, maple syrup, and milk for the glaze. Brush this sweet mix over your warm buns before eating or moving to a wire rack.
# Notes:
01 -
You can skip testing the yeast if using instant type, but it's a good safety check for beginners.
02 -
To help your dough rise faster, pop it in an oven with just the light switched on, or warm the oven for 2 minutes, turn it off, then put your dough inside.
03 -
Your cross mixture needs to be just right - runny enough to pipe but thick enough to stay put and not crack too much after baking.