Yield: About 2 dozen
Description: Hot Cross Buns
Author/Source: Recipe by Ground Breaker, adapted from Peter Reinhart’s Bread Baker’s Apprentice
INGREDIENTS
Sponge:
4 oz Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour
.44 oz yeast
8 ounces whole milk, lukewarm
Dough:
10 eggs, beaten
27.5 oz Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour
2 oz sugar
.62 ounce salt
- 1# butter or lard (use 12 oz tallow for a shorter bread)
DIRECTIONS
Use the bowl of the stand mixer to make the sponge. Add flour and yeast. Whisk in milk. Cover. Let stand at room temperature (about 72F) for 20 minutes.
Make dough: add eggs to sponge, mix using the paddle attachment. Mix flour, sugar and salt in separate bowl. Add the mixture to to eggs and mix until everything is incorporated. Rest for 5 minutes. Add butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Use the dough hook attachment to incorporate the butter into the dough. After all of the butter has been added, mix for an additional 5 minutes.
Transfer to a cookie sheet, in one large rectangle.
Chill for at least four hours.
Portion into 3 oz balls.
Rest for two hours at room temperature. Just before baking, use a sharp knife to mark with crosses.
- Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes.