These Hot Cross Buns are best eaten straight out of the oven but even if left for one or two days, they still maintain the softness. Tanzhong method was used in the making of these buns. Here's the RECIPE.

Recipe by Mama Ding

Ingredients

For the Tanzhong ~

• 25 g plain flour

• 120 ml milk

  For the Dough ~

• 475 g plain flour

• 120 ml milk

• 2 and 1/2 tsp instant dried yeast

• 90 g sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 60 g unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/2 tsp allspice

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

• 1 tsp salt

• grated orange rind from 1 orange

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 100 g raisins

• 80 g mixed peel

• 60 ml orange juice

  For the Cross ~

• 60 g plain flour

• 20 g icing sugar

• 4 to 5 tbsp water

  For the Glaze ~

• 60 g apricot jam

• 2 tbsp honey

Method

01 Make the Tanzhong first. Place the flour and milk into a small saucepan. Whisk until lump free.

Cook over medium low heat while whisking continuously. Cook until you get a runny paste.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

02 Warm up the orange juice and pour into a bowl. Add the raisins and mixed peel.

Set aside to soak for at least 30 mins. You can add some brandy to the soaked fruits, if preferred.

03 In your mixer bowl, place the yeast, flour, sugar, eggs, melted butter, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, orange zest, the cooled Tanzhong (from step 01), vanilla and salt.

Mix with a spatula to form a shaggy dough.

04 Place the mixer bowl onto the mixer with the kneading hook attached. Knead at low speed for 3 mins.

Increase speed to medium and knead for another 12 - 14 mins, until a soft and smooth dough is formed.

Remove dough from mixer bowl. Tip it onto your work surface.

04 Stretch the dough out into a rectangle. Add the soaked fruits (from step 02) and scatter them across the surface. Gather the dough together and knead lightly to mix the fruits in evenly.

Form a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and allow to proof for 1 hour.

05 While the dough is proofing, make the flour paste for the cross. In a bowl, place the flour and icing sugar. Whisk until well-combined. Add water, one tbsp at a time, and whisk to mix well. You should get a flour paste runny enough to pipe and thick enough not to roll off the bun. I used about 4 and 1/2 tbsp water.

Scoop the flour paste into a piping bag and set aside.

06 When the dough in step 04 has doubled, tip it over a lightly floured work surface. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal portions.

Take one portion and fold over the edges towards the middle. Pinch to seal. Gently roll the dough on your work surface (with the seam side down) to shape the dough ball. Repeat until all the dough balls are shaped.

Line a baking tray (9 x 13”) with parchment paper. Place the dough balls onto the pan, spacing about 1.5cm apart.

Cover with cling film and proof for 1 hour.

07 When the buns are proofing, preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F.

Snip off the edge of the piping bag (from step 05). The hole should be smaller than the intended thickness of the cross on your buns. Pipe a cross on each bun.

Place the tray of buns into the preheated oven and bake at 190 C/375 F for 30 mins. Rotate the tray after 15 mins.

08 Prepare the jam glaze while the buns are baking. In a small pot, place the jam and honey.

Cook over low heat while stirring continuously. Once the sides start to bubble, turn off heat and leave it on the stove to warm.

09 When the buns are baked, remove the tray from oven. Allow to cool for 10 mins before brushing on the warm jam glaze.

Remove the buns from the tray and let cool on a wire rack.

Eat as is or lightly toasted with butter. Best eaten warm.

Notes

You can also use an egg wash instead of glaze, if preferred.

Mix 1 egg yolk with 2 tbsp cream to a smooth consistency and brush on the buns before piping the crosses on them (step 07).

If you prefer smaller buns, divide the dough into 15 portions instead of 12.