Comments on: Hot Cross Buns http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/2010/03/29/hot-cross-buns/ A Sydneysider's musings on the nature of good food, wine, and life. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:24:54 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tina http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/2010/03/29/hot-cross-buns/comment-page-1/#comment-5231 Tina Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:53:15 +0000 http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/?p=649#comment-5231 Hey guys, after consulting Julia Child's chapter on baking it seems that to make the soft white fluffy French bread pain de mie they use soft flour, or what is called biscuit and cake flour at the supermarket in Australia. Soft flour has only 8 or 9g protein (gluten) per 100g. The all purpose plain flour we buy normally lists its gluten content at about 10g but does vary slightly with the seasons. I am now remembering that I actually used strong bread making flour in my hot cross buns, which has a gluten content of about 12g/100g. So that certainly would have added to the toughness of the dough. Strong bread flour is perfect for making sourdough but I think these little buns need some tenderising. Perhaps a little extra butter would help too. Hey guys, after consulting Julia Child’s chapter on baking it seems that to make the soft white fluffy French bread pain de mie they use soft flour, or what is called biscuit and cake flour at the supermarket in Australia. Soft flour has only 8 or 9g protein (gluten) per 100g. The all purpose plain flour we buy normally lists its gluten content at about 10g but does vary slightly with the seasons. I am now remembering that I actually used strong bread making flour in my hot cross buns, which has a gluten content of about 12g/100g. So that certainly would have added to the toughness of the dough. Strong bread flour is perfect for making sourdough but I think these little buns need some tenderising. Perhaps a little extra butter would help too.

]]> By: Chilli.Walter http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/2010/03/29/hot-cross-buns/comment-page-1/#comment-5230 Chilli.Walter Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:27:39 +0000 http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/?p=649#comment-5230 What lovely looking buns. I could almost smell them through the screen. I too considered making hot cross buns this week. I saw a recipe on the yahoo homepage that looked pretty straight forward but after reading your post, I guess it won't be. The fluffiness of the bun is really important. I am glad to hear that you are making another batch, please let us know if and how you achieve desired airiness. Very good to hear that the spice grinder is coming in handy. I bought myself one the other day. I love it, how did I live without one? What lovely looking buns. I could almost smell them through the screen. I too considered making hot cross buns this week. I saw a recipe on the yahoo homepage that looked pretty straight forward but after reading your post, I guess it won’t be. The fluffiness of the bun is really important. I am glad to hear that you are making another batch, please let us know if and how you achieve desired airiness. Very good to hear that the spice grinder is coming in handy. I bought myself one the other day. I love it, how did I live without one?

]]> By: Catie http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/2010/03/29/hot-cross-buns/comment-page-1/#comment-5228 Catie Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:30:54 +0000 http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/?p=649#comment-5228 Yeah, I used sultanas since I can't get currants here (nor can I get candied peel easily, I just used some orange peel). I did rather like the taste of the buns right out of the oven, but I'm wondering what makes the ones you get in the bakeries back home so light and fluffy? Maybe letting it rise more? I also need to find allspice here; the closest I could get was to use a mixture of spices to reproduce that flavour. It was good but I think it lacked something the allspice has! Yeah, I used sultanas since I can’t get currants here (nor can I get candied peel easily, I just used some orange peel). I did rather like the taste of the buns right out of the oven, but I’m wondering what makes the ones you get in the bakeries back home so light and fluffy? Maybe letting it rise more?

I also need to find allspice here; the closest I could get was to use a mixture of spices to reproduce that flavour. It was good but I think it lacked something the allspice has!

]]> By: Tina http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/2010/03/29/hot-cross-buns/comment-page-1/#comment-5226 Tina Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:26:50 +0000 http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/?p=649#comment-5226 Hey Catie, I think they look quite similar, they just look different baked in a square tin. I found the same thing that straight out of the oven they are quite nice but after that they definitely need toasting :) The GT recipe was quite good, and on comparing with the Taste recipe the GT one has more flour, butter, only 1 egg, candied peel and orange zest and sultanas instead of currants. Also, I soaked the sultanas in hot water for about 15 minutes to plump them up a bit. I have a feeling I'll be making another batch this week... Hey Catie, I think they look quite similar, they just look different baked in a square tin. I found the same thing that straight out of the oven they are quite nice but after that they definitely need toasting :) The GT recipe was quite good, and on comparing with the Taste recipe the GT one has more flour, butter, only 1 egg, candied peel and orange zest and sultanas instead of currants. Also, I soaked the sultanas in hot water for about 15 minutes to plump them up a bit. I have a feeling I’ll be making another batch this week…

]]> By: Catie http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/2010/03/29/hot-cross-buns/comment-page-1/#comment-5225 Catie Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:10:02 +0000 http://www.sydneyfoodieblog.com/?p=649#comment-5225 Hey Tina! I tried making hot cross buns last weekend as well! Thought mine don't look quite as good as yours :) I used the taste.com.au recipe, but added about 3x as much spice (it definitely needed it, in fact could have used more) and some peel as well. They were okay, but really only best straight out of the oven. I'm eating one right now and it's a bit ... dense & boring :( Yours look like they'd be a lot better! Maybe I will try your GT recipe instead. Here are some photos: http://liedra.net/photos/v/cooking/IMG_1520.jpg.html Hey Tina! I tried making hot cross buns last weekend as well! Thought mine don’t look quite as good as yours :)

I used the taste.com.au recipe, but added about 3x as much spice (it definitely needed it, in fact could have used more) and some peel as well.

They were okay, but really only best straight out of the oven. I’m eating one right now and it’s a bit … dense & boring :( Yours look like they’d be a lot better! Maybe I will try your GT recipe instead.

Here are some photos: http://liedra.net/photos/v/cooking/IMG_1520.jpg.html

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