Here are this year’s variation on the Annual Hot Cross Buns. This year, I went with spiced apple, instead of the traditional. Hot out of the oven, all warm. Crazy yummy!
Ingredients
For the apples:
1 tablespoon butter
3 medium firm apples, cut to 1/3 inch dice (I used honey crisp)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the buns
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut to 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
4 cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (scant) baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
For the Glaze
1 egg white
Splash of milk
For the Icing
Powdered sugar
Splash of milk
Directions
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter until shimmering. Add apples, sugar, spices and salt until the apples have become tender and the pan is completely dry of juices. Spread onto a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool complete and can be done for up to 4-6 hours ahead of time and refrigerated.
To make your dough, combine 2 cups milk, butter, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling, and all the butter is melted. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until mixture is still warm, but not hot (110F), about 30 minutes.
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment, add flour and make a well in the middle. Sprinkle in the yeast and the remaining sugar. Once the milk mixture is cooled to between 100-110F, add half of it (about 1 cup) to the work bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes. It should become foamy (if it does not, you’ve killed your yeast). After the 15 minutes, add in the remaining milk mixture, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix everything until it is a sticky dough.
Grease a large bowl with oil and place dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Lightly flour surface. Press to slightly flatten dough. Sprinkle on about a third of the apples. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is “plain” again. Add another third of the apples, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time.
Pinch off ping pong or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll it into a ball, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on a silpat-lined baking sheet or baking dish. Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rise in a warm place for another hour.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Mix 1 egg white with a splash of milk. Brush onto each roll. Bake for approximately 22-25 minutes, or until tops of buns have turned golden brown. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Finally, ice your hot cross buns. Mix milk with enough powdered sugar for icing to be very thick. Splash in additional milk as needed for consistency. Add icing to a small Ziploc bag and snip the corner. Make icing crosses on each roll.
