Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns in Wood-fired Oven

Recipe:

Who does not love Hot Cross Buns? Baked to perfection in the Fontana wood-fired oven, these pillowy and sweet morsels of pure goodness, covered with a syrupy Rum glaze, marked by a cross made from a flour paste, and finally filled with a melted chocolate surprise, will most certainly become everyone's breakfast delight during the Easter festivities.

Dating all the way back to the 12th century these iconic Hot Cross Buns have gained great popularity not only in Great Britain but also all across the globe. As a symbol of the day when Jesus Christ was crucified and died on our behalf to pay our sin debt, the hot cross buns bear the symbol of the cross.

Below you will not only find the step by step process on how to make your very own Hot Cross Buns, but also an exact recipe for a successful baking day in your very own home.

Supplies:

The Gusto Wood Oven
Infrared Thermometer
Baking sheet
Basting brush

Ingredients:

Sponge:

475 grams bread flour
20 grams yeast
605 grams warm milk

Final Dough:

745 grams bread flour
215 grams sugar
1/8th tsp. of cinnamon
1/8th tsp. nutmeg
1/8th tsp. allspice
18 grams salt
1,100 kg sponge
215 grams butter
50 grams honey
1 tsp. / 6 grams malt syrup
25 grams currants (soak in 40 grams Vin Santo with the raisins)
35 grams yellow raisins (soak in 40 grams vin Santo with the currents)
35 grams candied orange peel
200 grams eggs
Lemon zest from one lemon (very fine)

Cross Paste:

120 grams all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
90 grams water

Rum Glaze:

120 grams sugar
120 grams water
2 1/2 Tbsp Rum

Egg Wash:

2 eggs
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat the Fontana Gusto wood-fired oven to 375°F - 190°C.
For the sponge mix the 480 grams flour, yeast and warm milk together in a mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix just until all dry ingredients have been well incorporated, and allow to rest 15-30 minutes.
Soak the raisins and currents in the Vin Santo or other desert wine while the sponge is resting.
For the the final dough mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt).
Add the dry ingredients to the SPONGE.
Next, add the lemon zest, honey, sugar, and the eggs, mixing everything together.
Begin to add the butter chunks a little at a time.
Drain the raisins and currants from the Vin Santo. Coarsely chop the orange peel. Add these to the mixture.
You will know that the dough is ready when it easily comes off the sides of the bowl.
Cover the dough with a plastic lid and allow to rise for one hour on the countertop and then overnight in the refrigerator.
The next morning, once the dough has been taken out of the refrigerator, divide and shape it into 80 gram balls. Tuck all sides under and carefully hide some chocolate inside each one as shown in the video.
Place on a buttered baking sheet and allow to rise for one hour in a draft free area.
While the dough is rising, prepare the cross paste. Mix the flour, salt and oil together. Add water slowly until mixture can easily be piped from a piping bag or sac à poche.
Make an egg wash by whisking 2 eggs with a good pinch of salt.
Once the dough balls have risen, gently brush each bun with the egg wash making sure not to deflate them.
Pipe the cross paste over each ball.
Place the buns in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until golden brown.
As for the rum glaze, bring sugar and water to a boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, and add the rum. Allow to cool. The syrup will be brushed over the buns once they are baked.
Once the buns have cooled on a cooling rack, brush the rum syrup over each one and serve immediately! Enjoy!