I want to create interesting hot cross buns that we can't never buy supermarkets and bakeries. And so, I baked these brioche-like hot cross buns with butter filling...YUMMY!!!
I have to say...
These Super Soft Hot Cross Buns with Milky Butter Filling are super nice!!!
I wonder if you have noticed that this yummy butter filling is exactly the same butter filling that I used to make my Milo Coffee Roti Boy at here. Just one bite, I know straightaway... These super soft hot cross buns are superb!
In fact, these brioche-like buns are made with a moderate amount of butter, yet buttery, fluffy and moist even on the next day of bake. Honestly, I have nothing to complain except...When I was browsing the supermarket catalogues that are promoting their hot cross buns, I can’t help to think their hot cross buns look so perfect with the perfect crosses but mine are not! Although my crosses are overall visible, they still look imperfect with cracks. They also look uneven and distorted, perhaps due to the sugar sprinkle on the top of the buns?If the sugar sprinkle is causing my crosses to be uneven, why do I sprinkle the sugar and not brushing the sugar syrup on the buns? Based on my baking experience, I know that brushing the breads with syrup can weigh the top of the bread down, making it dense and less fluffy on the next day. So, I decided to sprinkle the top of bread with a combination of sugar and the result turned out to be awesome! The finer dark brown sugar sprinkle gave the bread a pretty nice golden brown glow whereas the coarse demerara sugar sprinkle gave the bread a lovely mild sugary crust. Yum!I must admit that my hot cross buns don’t look professional enough but taste-wise, they are definitely share-worthy!Go on. Give it a go... Bake these hot cross buns and let me know if you like them or not. My family told me that I should bake this again. How about yours?If you are going to bake these hot cross buns, you might want to watch this video showing how I baked mine. It's pretty straightforward.
My crosses on my hot cross buns are imperfect and distorted with cracks.
And I blame the delicious fluffy bread dough that rises too much... LOL!
I don't really care if the crosses on my buns are perfect or not.
Simply because the buns are fluffy, moist and delicious ^-^
And they can remain soft and nice even on the next day!
Here's the recipe.
Makes 9 buns in one 20 cm (8 inches) square pan
For the butter filling:
50g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
25g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
25g milk powder
You can mix and prepare the butter filling one or a few days before the baking day.
Using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until combined. Beat in vanilla. Then, add milk powder and beat or mix until combined. Divide and scoop filling into 9 equal portions and chill in a fridge for about 2 hr or preferably overnight or until firm and ready to use.
For the bread dough:
150g water, at warm temperature about 25°C
25g egg yolks, at room temperature (about 1 1/2 yolks but please use exact weight)
240g bread flour with 12% protein
15g milk powder - please do not use milk to replace water and milk powder.
15g caster sugar
2g salt
25g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 tsp instant yeast
For the egg wash:
1/2 egg yolk
1/2 tsp milk
To sprinkle:
10g demerara sugar or any coarse white sugar
10g dark muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
For the cross:
25g water
20g self-raising flour
extra butter or vegetable oil spray to grease baking pan
extra bread flour for dusting and shaping
For the bread dough:
If you are using a breadmaker to knead and prove the dough, add all ingredients into the breadmaker according to this order. Use "dough" setting to mix and knead dough for 30 mins or until the dough is elastic and stretchy. Then, let the dough prove for 1 hr or until doubled in size.
If you are using an electric mixer with an hook attachment or your hand to knead, combine all ingredients except butter in the mixing bowl and mix at low speed until a soft dough forms. Then, knead in the butter until incorporated. Continue to knead for at least 25 mins or until the dough is elastic. It is important that the dough has to be elastic and stretchy. Cover the dough and allow the dough to prove in a warm and humid place for about 1 hr or until doubled in size.
Grease square pan with butter or vegetable oil spray. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 9 portions (about 52g each). Shape each piece into a round smooth ball and allow it to rest for about 10 mins. Use a rolling pin to flatten each dough slightly and place each chilled butter filling in the middle of the dough. Pinch up the sides of the dough to completely enclose the filling. Arrange the shaped buns with their seam sides down in the greased pan. Allow the bread to rise in a warm and humid place for another 1 hr or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven 350°F or 180°C.
For the egg wash:
Combine egg yolk and milk. Brush the dough with a thin layer of egg wash. Combine both demerara sugar and dark muscovado sugar and sprinkle the sugars generously and evenly on the dough.
For the cross:
Mix water and flour until it forms a smooth and thick paste. Transfer into a piping bag and snip off the end to make a fine hole. Pipe a cross on top of each bread bun and bake for 15 mins or until golden brown and thoroughly baked inside and NOT over-baked. Remove from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack to cool slightly to warm.
Serve warm or completely cooled.
Store any leftover in an airtight container at room temperature when they are completely cooled so that they will stay soft and moist even on the next day. Please consume these buns within the next day of bake because these super moist buns won't be super moist anymore on the day after next!
However, when the buns (even on the 4th day of bake) are slightly heated using a microwave with high power for 10-20 secs, they will be as soft and moist like they have been freshly baked!
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