FIONA HUGUES’ DAMN GOOD HOT X BUN RECIPE
MAKES 12
The talented Fiona Hughes has kindly allowed me to share her Hot X bun recipe, so delicious it has become a Easter staple at Briarwood every year.
Toasted and eaten with lashings of the best salted butter.
Ingredients
250g full cream milk
1 Tbsp dried instant yeast
500g high grade flour
80g butter melted
50g golden castor sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp mixed spice
3 heaped tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp ground ginger
A pinch of salt & decent grind of pepper
450-500g dried fruit
1/2 cup Marsala or Port
Cross
100g vanilla custard
100g mascarpone
2 heaped tsp flour
Glaze
Apricot jam loosened with boiling water or just brush on some maple syrup
Method
Place the raisins and currants in a glass or ceramic bowl, pour over the Marsala wine and microwave for one minute. Stir and set aside.
Warm the milk and stir through yeast and wait a couple of minutes until the mixture begins to foam.
In a large bowl add flour, salt, butter, castor sugar, egg and spices. Stir to combine. Pour over milk mixture and bring the dough together gently.
Add soaked fruit and knead in bowl to combine then give it a good kneading in the bowl for 2-3 minutes. Shape into a rough ball and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Leave to prove in a warm place until doubled in size (approx 1 hour).
Preheat oven to 220 deg C.
Tip dough out on to a floured surface, knock down and divide into 12 equal-sized pieces. Form into rolls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Set aside to prove again for 30 mins.
After 30 mins make the crosses. Mix together the mascarpone, custard and flour. Place the cream mixture in a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner cut out and pipe crosses onto the top of the buns.
Bake for 12-15 mins or until golden brown.
Using a pastry brush, apply glaze while the buns are warm.
NOTES + VARIATIONS
I like to soak the dried fruit in the marsala overnight
Can be made without the sugar
The perfectionist in you can weigh the dough and then divide by 12 and weigh each individual ball of dough to give you equal sized buns