Light Hot Cross Buns

📝 Ingredients

• 330 g plain flour (300 for the dough, 30 for the cross)
• 170 ml lukewarm semi-skimmed milk
• 1 egg
• 20 g softened unsalted butter
• 30 g caster sugar
• 1 sachet dried yeast (5 g)
• 80 g raisins
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon + ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 unwaxed orange (zest)
• 3 tbsp water (2 for the cross, 1 for the glaze)
• 1 tbsp honey (about 20 g)
• ½ tsp fine salt

🍴 Utensils

• Large mixing bowl
• Kitchen scales
• Baking tray + baking paper
• Freezer bag
• Pastry brush
• Clean tea towel

📖 Steps

1. In a bowl, mix the lukewarm milk (just warm to the touch, never hot), the yeast and 1 tsp of sugar taken from the 30 g. Leave to stand for 10 min, until a thin foam appears on the surface: the yeast is then fully active.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 300 g of the flour, the rest of the sugar, the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and finely grated orange zest. Add the yeasted milk and the beaten egg, mix with a spatula, then knead by hand for 8 min until you have a smooth, supple dough.
3. Add the softened butter in pieces and knead for 3 min until it is completely absorbed, then work in the raisins by kneading for 1 more min, just enough to distribute them evenly without tearing the dough.
4. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for 1 h 30 in a warm place (about 25 °C), until the dough has doubled in size. The spices and raisins slow down the rise: it's normal for it to take longer than for plain bread.
5. Knock back the dough with your fist, then divide it into 8 pieces of about 80 g. Shape each one into a ball by tucking the edges underneath, then rolling it under your cupped palm on the work surface until you have a smooth, taut ball.
6. Arrange the balls on the baking tray lined with baking paper, in 2 rows of 4, 1 cm apart: they will touch as they rise, just like real hot cross buns. Cover with the tea towel and leave to rise for 45 min, until well puffed up.
7. Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Mix 30 g of flour with 2 tbsp water to make a thick, smooth paste, like toothpaste. Spoon it into a freezer bag, snip off a 3 mm corner and pipe a continuous line along each row of buns, in both directions.
8. Bake for 18 to 20 min, until the buns are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Dilute the honey in 1 tbsp very hot water and brush it over the buns as soon as they come out of the oven to make them shine. Leave to cool slightly for 15 min.