Traditioanl English Hot Cross Buns with Sourdough Starter - poor buns have been through a lots of trauma
Easter is almost here and it means the long weekend is not far away. Easter is the longest holiday in Australia and it is even longer this year. The Easter Monday falls on our national public holiday, Anzac Day. So, we end up with 5-day long weekend. I'm so looking forwards to the short break and mini getaway.
These poor buns have been through lots of trauma. I didn't know that my convection oven was broken until after I put the buns in the oven (it actually heated to 70c, enough to kill the yeast grrrr). So, I pulled the buns out after few or five minutes and retarded them overnight, hoping that I could sort out the oven issue and bake them the next day.
Well, the oven (convection mode) was still broken...and I had to bake the bread using grill mode (well, grilling bread won't work, breads will be burnt before it's cooked!), then cover them tin with the foil after 5 minutes, then turn the tin upside-down to bake the bottom of the bun. Yes, they've been through a lot. Lest not forget, they were retarded after they had been in the 70C oven for few minutes. So, I am glad that these bun are still edible.
In fact, they tasted lovely regardless. I love Hot Cross Bun and can have them all-year round, Easter or not. I love the spices in the bun, fruits and peels. It's gorgeous.
I used Hamelman's recipe from Bread cookbook and changed it somewhat. I included sourdough starter (15% of total weight), replaced 10% of bread flour with whole wheat flour, using raisin instead of currants, using mixed candied peels instead of chopped citrus zest. I also changed the paste recipe somewhat (omit egg and reduce the amount of butter, and reduce the total amount of the paste suggested by Hamelman by 50%). I also used my homemade apricot jam mixed with water as a glaze instead of simple sugar syrup.
This is a very good recipe producing flavoursome Hot Cross Buns. I will have to redeem myself and give these buns what they deserve (proper dough handling and baking mode), I will have to make these again before Easter.
Full post and recipe is here.
Sue
Comments
They still look very tasty. Quick thinking saved the day. -Varda
I was probably more traumatised than the hot cross buns. I'm just too involved with my bread:(
Sue
I am sorry to hear that you had a trouble with your oven. Hmm. That is not fun, Sue. I hope that your oven will be fixed as soon as possible, However, you buns look still good ! I wish I knew your way of baking using grill mode. I have " Broil" button instead of Grill mode. Is that the same? You did a great job on saving your buns!! I couldn't do that when my oven got broke. Thank you for sharing your experience, Sue. It will save my baking someday!
Best wishes,
Akiko
Yeah, it's not fun, and it won't get fixed until after Easter as well. I might have to take up other hobby, reading cookbook:) Lucky, I still got my partner's oven working (that's the good thing of Carry Bradshaw like relationship, having two seperate houses, hence two ovens, lol).
I assume that broil is the same as grilling, it uses the top heating element. Does yours use top heating element during 'broil' mode?
Cheers,
Sue
Yes, it does. Thank you for the information, Sue. My oven is not reliable so that it will definitely helps me to save my bread!
Thank you, again
Akiko
I take my hat off to you for still being able to finish the bake under those circumstances!
Best,
Syd
My hat off to my perserverence as well. I'm so persistent, aren't I?
Sue
Sue, you can save your dough, bravo to you. I once had my oven died in the middle of baking buns, all the buns later ended up in trash can. I hope you fix the oven soon. Take care and enjoy your mini vacation.
Kimmy
Yes, I do need a vacation after feeling shattered with the broken oven:) It won't get fixed until after Easter...there'll be no more macarons until next month...The Easter macarons plan has fallen apart:(
Cheers,
Sue