Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

• 份量: 9 buns

配料

Levain:

64g high-protein white flour

13g superfine sugar (caster)

64g water

26g ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration

Fruit Soaker:

77g Thompson raisins

51g currants

water to soak

Final dough:

449g high-protein white flour

154g whole milk

51g egg, beaten (about 1 med)

51g unsalted butter

28g superfine sugar

3g ground cinnamon

1g ground allspice

1g freshly ground nutmeg

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 orange

105g water

10g fine sea salt

167g Levain

Additional Ingredient:

Egg wash: 1 egg and 1 tbsp whole milk or heavy cream

Simple Syrup Glaze:

52g granulated sugar

52g water

Cross:

50g white flour

40g water

15g vegetabel oil (or other neutral oil)

pinch of fine sea salt

步骤

Levain: warm or cool the water to about 78F. In a large bowl, mix the levain ingredients wuntil well incorporated (it will expand considerably so choose a large enough container). Loosely cover and store in a warm place for 12 hours.

Prepare the soaker: put currants and raisins in a medium bowl. Pour in some water to just cover the dried fruit. Cover the bowl and allow to soak until bulk fermentation.

Mix dough: Check levain for signs of readiness (bubbly, risen high, and frothy). If the levain is not showing these signs, let it ferment 1 more hour and check again).

Prepare the butter: cut the butter into 1/2 inch pats. Place in a bowl on the counter to warm to room temperature until mixing.

Warm the ingredients: warm water and milk to about 75-76F.

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, milk, egg, half of the sugar, water, salt, and ripe levain. Mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes until combined. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes until the dough begins to tighten and cling to the dough hook and pull from the sides. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes in the bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and lemon and orange zests.

Continue mixing: add the spice mixture and the remaining sugar to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes until the additions are absolrved and the dough comes back together. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 3-6 minutes until the dough is smooth and strong; it should sling to the dough hook but may not completely remove from the sides of the bowl. Use the Windowpane Test to see if the dough is intensively developed. If the dough does not spread clearly or tear cleanly, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes more and test again.

Add the butter: with the mixer running on low speed, add the butter one pat at a time. Wait until each pat is mostly absorbed before adding the next pate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the dough hook as needed. Continue mixing on medium speed for 1-2 minutes more until the dough smooths out and clings to the dough hook. The dough will be silky smooth, elastic, and shiny. Transfer to a container for bulk fermentation.

Bulk fermentation: Duration: 4 hours at warm room temperature (74-76 degrees). Write down the current time as the start of bulk fermentation, set a timer for 30 minutes, and let the dough rest in a warm place.

When you timer goes off, drain the fruit soaker of any excess water. Spread about 1/4 of the soaker evenly over the dough. Using wet hands, pick up one side of the dough and stretch it up and fold it over. Spread another quart fo the fruit over the top. Rotate the bowl 180 degrees and perform another stretch and fold. Evenly spread on another 1/4 of the fruit. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, perform a stretch and fold, and spread on the remaining fruit. Rotate the boal 180 degrees and perform the last stretch and fold. The dough should be folded up neatly. Cover the boal and repeat these folds every 30 lminutes for a total of 3 stretches and folds.

Let the dough rest. After the last set, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for the remainer of bulk fermentation, about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Divide and Shape: Liverally butter a 9 inch square baking pan. If your pan is not nonstick consider lining the pan with parchment paper and skip buttering.

Check the dough: at the end of bulk fermentation, the dough will have risen significantly; it should look smooth and airy, and at the edge of the dough where it meets the container, it should dome downward. If you wet a hand and gently tug on the surface of the dough, it will feel elastic and cohesive, resisting your pull. If you don't see dough that's airy and strong, and "alive," leave it for another 15 minutes in bulk fermentation and check again. It's important your dough rises and becomes lofty at this point; don't rush it.

Divide and shape the dough: Using a bowl scraper, gently scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and use your bench knife to divide it into 9 pieces of 115g each. Using your bench knife in your dominant hand and with your other hand wet to reduce sticking, shape each piece of dough into a tight round. Place the rounds in the prepared baking pan in 3 rows of 3. Place the pan inside a reusable plastic bag and seal.

Proof: Duration: about 3 hours, or longer, if needed, at warm room temperature. It may take longer if your kitchen is cooler. The bun dough is ready when it is very soft to the touch with no dense spots and well risen. In a 9x9 inch pan the dough should have risen to the rim or a little higher. If the dough isn't puffy and soft to the touch, proof 30 minutes more and check again.

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Prepare the glaze and cross mixture and bake:

Preheat the oven to 400F.

For the simple syrup: Combine the 52g water and 52g sugar in a small saucepan over med heat and bring to a boil. Let it simmer, stirring occassionally, unitl the mixture turns clear: 2-4 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. The simple syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator indefinietly.

For the cross: in a small bowl, combine the 50g flour, 40g water, 15g oil, and pinch of salt until a thick paste forms.It is important that the paste not be too thick or too thin; it should just barely flow off the edge of a spoon (similar to a thick cream). If the mixture is too dry or thick, add a small spash of water as needed to loosen. Transfer to a pastry bag or plastic bag with a small cut made at the corner to pipe out the mixture. Set aside.

Bake the buns: Make the egg wash. Uncover the pan of buns and brush a light layer of the egg wash on the buns. Pipe a thin vertical line of the cross micture down the center of each column of buns. Rotate the pan a quarter turn and pipe another line down the center of each column, forming a cross on each bun. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan back to front, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 195 F and the buns are golden brown on top.

Remove the pan from the oven and brush a light layer of the simple syrup on the buns. Let cool for 5 minutes. Either serve warm straight from the pan or let them cool on a wire rack. They're best the day they are baked but can be stored in an airtight container for 1 day. Reheat in the oven, cut in half with a spread of butter on each half.