Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 8 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sourdough starter

1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup active sourdough starter

3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or candied citrus peel)

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water (more to thin out if too thick)

1/4 cup fruit preserves (orange or apricot)

Directions

Feed Your Starter

8 PM Feed starter: 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of active sourdough starter to a clean jar. Stir until combined, loosely cover the jar and let the starter rise at room temperature. (The ingredients will create a total of 115 g active starter but, because some of it will stick to the sides of the jar during the transfer, we are making a little more than needed.) The sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.

Make the Dough

7:30 AM Melt butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter, milk, sugar and salt together over low heat. Allow it to cool down to room temperature.

8 AM Mix the dough: To a large mixing bowl, add the flour and ground spices and whisk to combine. Add the active sourdough starter and the cooled butter mixture to the bowl and stir with a spatula until the ingredients are combined and there are no dry bits left in the bowl. Cover the bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

9 AM First rise: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart, keeping the bowl covered between sets. To perform a set, pick up the dough on one side and stretch it up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this step until you have turned the bowl a full circle. After the final set, cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours or until it has risen by 50% in size. (See notes.)

12 PM Shape and Second rise: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press it out into a rectangular shape. Spread the dried fruit evenly over the surface. Roll the dough into a log and then divide it into 12 pieces, approximately 65 grams each. Shape each piece into a ball by gathering up the sides and pinching them together. Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down on the work surface and gently form a smooth ball. Arrange them in a lightly greased glass baking dish. Cover the dish with a tea towel and let rise for 3-4 hours.

3:30 PM Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (204°C). Beat the egg in a small bowl with the water and brush the egg wash onto the rolls. Mix the paste ingredients together until smooth and pour into a piping bag. Snip the tip off of the bag and pipe lines across the rolls to create a cross on each one.

4 PM Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. The internal temperature of the rolls should be 190°F when fully baked. Brush the top of the rolls with jelly and serve.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 roll
• Calories: 353 kcal
• Total Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 21 mg
• Sodium: 229 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 66 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 10 g