Hot Cross Buns (Yudane Method)
These are the softest hot cross buns I've ever made. I came up with this idea having made deliciously soft milk bread using the yudane method. Wanting to replicate the same texture for Easter, I combined this Japanese technique with a very British bake. I am indebted to Chopstick Chronicles' tutorial which taught me all about this technique. It involves combining flour with boiling water (a bit like a roux) to create a sticky ball of semi-cooked dough, which is then added to the main dough mixture. To quote Chopstick Chronicles, 'Adding hot boiling water gelatinises the starch. The gelatinised starch not only allows the starch to take in more water, but also increases the sweetness of it. Therefore adding Yudane to a bread dough (yudane method), you can make soft, moist and sweeter bread which lasts longer.'
The dough looks quite wet and sticky, and will remain throughout the process. You'll just have to trust me that they will turn out all the better for this. It does mean that shaping is quite a messy job - a generous amount of flour on the work surface and on your hands, and a light touch, is essential. The mess is worth it though: I barely had time to take the pictures of the baked buns because everyone was desperate to get their hands on them.
The buns require a bit of advance planning: ideally, you need to make the yudane the day before (or about 8-10 hours beforehand). When you come to make the buns, three separate rises (one hour each) are required. I make these early on Easter morning, though traditionally they were enjoyed in particular on Good Friday. The London street cry, recorded in Poor Robin's Almanack in 1733, went as follows:
"Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs,
With one or two a penny hot cross buns."
This street cry later became the famous nursery rhyme:
"Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
give them to your sons.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!"
There were other variants of the street cry. I quite like this one originating in Coventry:
"One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns,
Butter them and sugar them and put them in your muns (mouths)."
This recipe has definitely transformed the way I'll make hot cross buns forever.
Makes about 16 buns.
Ingredients
For the yudane
Equipment
1. The day before, make the yudane by pouring the boiling water over the flour until a sticky dough forms. Wrap it in clingfilm and leave it in the fridge for 8-10 hours.
2. On the day of the bake, gently warm the milk in a saucepan until it is lukewarm (no warmer otherwise it will kill the yeast). Sprinkle the dried yeast over the milk and mix briefly. Add the butter and then leave to one side.
These are the softest hot cross buns I've ever made. I came up with this idea having made deliciously soft milk bread using the yudane method. Wanting to replicate the same texture for Easter, I combined this Japanese technique with a very British bake. I am indebted to Chopstick Chronicles' tutorial which taught me all about this technique. It involves combining flour with boiling water (a bit like a roux) to create a sticky ball of semi-cooked dough, which is then added to the main dough mixture. To quote Chopstick Chronicles, 'Adding hot boiling water gelatinises the starch. The gelatinised starch not only allows the starch to take in more water, but also increases the sweetness of it. Therefore adding Yudane to a bread dough (yudane method), you can make soft, moist and sweeter bread which lasts longer.'
The dough looks quite wet and sticky, and will remain throughout the process. You'll just have to trust me that they will turn out all the better for this. It does mean that shaping is quite a messy job - a generous amount of flour on the work surface and on your hands, and a light touch, is essential. The mess is worth it though: I barely had time to take the pictures of the baked buns because everyone was desperate to get their hands on them.
The buns require a bit of advance planning: ideally, you need to make the yudane the day before (or about 8-10 hours beforehand). When you come to make the buns, three separate rises (one hour each) are required. I make these early on Easter morning, though traditionally they were enjoyed in particular on Good Friday. The London street cry, recorded in Poor Robin's Almanack in 1733, went as follows:
"Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs,
With one or two a penny hot cross buns."
This street cry later became the famous nursery rhyme:
"Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
give them to your sons.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!"
There were other variants of the street cry. I quite like this one originating in Coventry:
"One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns,
Butter them and sugar them and put them in your muns (mouths)."
This recipe has definitely transformed the way I'll make hot cross buns forever.
Makes about 16 buns.
Ingredients
For the yudane
- 100g strong white bread flour
- 80ml boiling water
- 7g fast-action yeast
- 300ml lukewarm milk
- 50g butter
- 400g strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 75g golden caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 150g mixed fruit
- 1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground mace
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground/grated nutmeg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 75g plain flour
- About 5 tbsp water
- Jam (apricot or strawberry)
Equipment
- Baking tray, lined with baking parchment
- Piping bag and small round nozzle
- Pastry brush
- Foil
1. The day before, make the yudane by pouring the boiling water over the flour until a sticky dough forms. Wrap it in clingfilm and leave it in the fridge for 8-10 hours.
2. On the day of the bake, gently warm the milk in a saucepan until it is lukewarm (no warmer otherwise it will kill the yeast). Sprinkle the dried yeast over the milk and mix briefly. Add the butter and then leave to one side.
3. Break the yudane into small pieces by pulling it apart. In a stand mixer bowl, place the flour, salt and sugar. Create a well and pour the yeast mixture into it, followed by the yudane and the egg.
4. Knead in a stand mixer using the dough hook for 15 minutes at medium speed. Stop the mixer every 5 minutes and use a spatula to hook the mixture from the bottom of the bowl, ensuring that it all gets mixed in.
4. Knead in a stand mixer using the dough hook for 15 minutes at medium speed. Stop the mixer every 5 minutes and use a spatula to hook the mixture from the bottom of the bowl, ensuring that it all gets mixed in.
5. After 15 minutes, the dough will look more elastic but will remain sticky and wet (see picture below). Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. After the hour's prove, add the mixed fruit, apple, spices and lemon zest and knead using the stand mix for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise again in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. After the hour's prove, add the mixed fruit, apple, spices and lemon zest and knead using the stand mix for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise again in a warm place for 1 hour.
7. Now, you're ready to shape the buns. This is a sticky, messy job so prepare your work surface with a generous amount of flour, and flour your hands too. Make sure your lined baking tray is to hand. Weigh 75g pieces of dough and shape into balls. Using a light, floured touch is key. Place them slightly spaced apart on the baking tray. You should be able to make 15-16 buns. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for another hour. Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C non fan).
8. To make the cross, mix the flour and water together one tablespoon at a time. Stop when you reach a pipeable paste consistency. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle. Pipe the crosses on the buns by trailing one line of paste widthways and then lengthways.
9. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown. The middle buns will take longer to bake, so place a piece of foil over the buns if the outer ones are baking more quickly. When ready, the bottom of each bun will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
9. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown. The middle buns will take longer to bake, so place a piece of foil over the buns if the outer ones are baking more quickly. When ready, the bottom of each bun will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
10. For the glaze, simply brush the buns with jam while still piping hot from the oven. Apricot is the traditional go-to jam, but I personally prefer strawberry jam, not least because I usually have some in stock! Enjoy the buns fresh, sliced (and, if desired, toasted) and spread with butter.