Spiced Hot Cross Buns - Rohi Rīpeka (Same Day Version)
Delicious hot cross buns steeped in deep flavour of spices with orange, chocolate and cranberries and a simple glaze. Same day version.
Servings 12 large buns
Equipment
- 1 x 25 cm x 35 cm baking tray with 3 cm high sides.
Ingredients
The Spiced Dough - Te Pokenga Raukikini
- ¾ C (185) ml miraka aromahana (lukewarm milk)
- ⅔ C (165 ml) wai wera (hot water, from the tap)
- ⅔ C (135 g) huka hāura (brown sugar or any sugar will work)
- 2 ½ tablespoon (20 g) Surebake or bread makers yeast or 1 tablespoon (10 g) īhi horo (instant yeast).
- 4 C (600 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- 2 (90 g) hēki iti (small eggs, size 6)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) iho hūperei (vanilla essence)
- 1 heaped tsp raukikini katoa (allspice)
- 3 heaped tsp raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
- 3 heaped tsp hinamona (cinnamon)
- 2 teaspoon tote (salt, fine). I use Himalayan salt here, if you are using iodised table salt, half this amount.
- 2 - 3 tablespoon Kiri ārani pīrahirahi (finely grated orange zest or mandarin zest)
- ¼ C (60 ml) wai ārani (orange juice) or wai manarini (mandarin juice)
- 80 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- 130 g tiakarete parauri kua tapahia (chopped dark chocolate, 50%) Add extra if you like a more chocolate in the buns.
- ⅔ C (85 g) karanipere kua tapahia (chopped cranberries)
The Crosses - Ngā Rīpeka
- ⅓ C (50 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- 1 tablespoon huka (sugar)
- 1 teaspoon pēkana paura (baking powder)
- 2 ½ tablespoon (35 ml) C wai (water)
The Glaze - Te Mōhinuhinu
- 30 g pata (butter)
- ¼ C marahihi māpere (maple syrup)
Instructions
Activate the Yeast:
- Add the miraka aromahana (lukewarm milk), wai wera (hot water) and huka (sugar) in to a large bowl.
- Stir it really well, making the sugar has dissolved because if it isn't, it can stop the īhi (yeast) from activating properly.
- Add the īhi (yeast) and mix it in well.
- If you are using surebake it will take 10 - 15 mins to activate and become foamy. If you are using īhi tere (instant yeast), it will take 5 - 10 minutes to activate.
Add the Dry Ingredients, Eggs and Butter:
- Add the puehu parāoa (flour), hēki (eggs), iho hūperei (vanilla), raukikini katoa (allspice), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), hinamona (cinnamon), tote (salt), kiri ārani (orange zest), wai ārani (orange juice) and pata (butter) in to the yeast mixture.
- Stir it with a knife until a rough dough comes together.
Knead The Dough:
- If you are using a mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 10 minutes on low-medium speed. The dough is much looser than some recipes but you can add up to ¼ cup of extra flour if you want to.
- If you are kneading by hand, knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not fingers) for 12 - 14 minutes. The dough will be sticky but you can slowly add up to ½ cup more flour, sprinkling a little bit on the bench as you knead it.
Add the Chocolate and Cranberries:
- After the dough has been kneaded well, stretch it out to a rough square.
- Sprinkle over the tiakarete (chocolate) and karanipere (cranberries), fold it in from the edges and knead it until it is distributed well.
First Rise:
- Manipulate the pokenga (dough) in to a ball and add it to a large, clean bowl.
- Cover with a tea towel or a bowl cover and rise for 1 hour 45 mins to 2 ½ hours.
- When the dough has doubled in size, it is ready for shaping.
Prepare the Baking Tray:
- Line a 25 cm x 35 cm tray with baking paper. Note: Use a tray as close to this size as possible so the buns rise close together, creating softer buns. Trust me, it makes a difference.
Shape the Dough in to Buns:
- Once the dough has doubled in size tip the dough on to a lightly floured bench and cut in to 12 equal pieces. You can use a scale for accuracy here or you can eye ball it (which is what I often do).
- Roll each of the pieces of dough in to balls, tucking the tiakarete (chocolate) inside the dough so it melts inside the buns.
- You will see I don't use extra flour when I roll the buns as it prevents the ease of rolling. Refer to the video for an extra aid.
Second Rise:
- Place the rolled buns in to the tray making sure there is even space between each one.
- Once all the buns are in the tray, cover them with a tea towel. Rise for 50 minutes to an hour on the bench.
- 15 minutes before the rising time is up, preheat the oven and prepare the crosses batter.
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 175 °C bake setting or 165 °C fan bake setting.
Make the Crosses Batter:
- Add the puehu parāoa (flour), huka (sugar), pēkana paura (baking powder) and wai (water) in to a small bowl. Whakaranuhia kia māene (mix until smooth).
Pipe the Crosses on to the Risen Buns:
- Five to ten minutes before baking, add the mixture to a piping bag and pipe the crosses on to the risen buns.
Bake the Spiced Hot Cross Buns:
- Once the rising time is up, slide them in to the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes and then check if they are cooked. If the buns spring back when pressed on the underside of the buns, they are ready. If they stay pressed in, bake for five more minutes.
Melt the Glaze:
- As they bake prepare the simple mōhinuhinu (glaze).
- Gently melt the pata (butter) in a small pot on the stove or in a small heat proof bowl in the microwave.Then stir through the marahihi māpere (maple syrup).
Glaze the Buns:
- Remove the baked buns from the oven and brush the mōhinuhinu (glaze) all over with a pastry brush.
Serve the Hot Cross Buns:
- Eat the buns warm with Whipped Vanilla Butter or Whipped Brown Butter for that extra touch.
Store the Hot Cross Buns:
- These are always going to be best eaten fresh from the oven. However, they can be stored in a plastic bag or container on the bench overnight. Slice them and toast them the next day or warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Beyond a day, store them in a plastic bag and freeze for up to three months. Make sure to heat them to bring them back to life.