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Prep Time: 60 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Minutes |
Ready In: 62 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Nick Malgieri, for Easter Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk |
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast |
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour |
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour |
1/3 cup sugar |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves |
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg |
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger |
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 10 pieces |
1 large egg |
2/3 cup currants (or a mixture of the two) or 2/3 cup raisins (or a mixture of the two) |
1/4 cup finely diced candied orange peel |
2 tablespoons sugar |
1 tablespoon water |
2/3 cup powdered sugar |
2 teaspoons water |
Directions:
1. Line 1 cookie sheet with parchment or foil.
2. Sponge: heat the milk in a small saucepan until it is just lukewarm, no more than 110°.
3. Pour the warm milk into a medium bowl; whisk in the yeast.
4. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap; let the sponge ferment until it is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Once the sponge is ready, prepare the dough: combine flour, sugar, salt, and spices in a bowl of an electric mixer and stir well to mix.
6. Place on the mixer with the paddle attachment and add the butter.
7. Mix until the butter is finely worked in, about 2 minutes.
8. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape in the sponge; add the egg and return to the mixer with the paddle.
9. Mix on lowest speed for 2 minutes; stop mixer and allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.
10. Mix the dough again on medium speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
11. Decrease speed to lowest and add the currants or raisins and candied fruit; mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
12. Scrape the dough into a buttered bowl and turn the dough over so that the top is buttered.
13. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise until it is doubled in size, about 1 hour.
14. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press it into a rough square; divided the dough into 12 equal pieces with a knife or bench scraper.
15. Round each piece by pressing it under the palm of your hand as you rotate your hand around the dough.
16. Arrange the buns on the prepared pan and press a cross into the top of each bun with the back of a blade of a table knife.
17. Cover the pan with a towel or buttered plastic wrap and allow the buns to rise until they are almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
18. About 15 minute before the buns are completely risen, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 375°.
19. Bake the buns until they are deep golden and feel light, about 15-20 minutes.
20. Just before the buns are finished baking, bring the sugar and water for the glaze to a boil; brush the glaze on the buns as soon as they come out of the oven.
21. Slide the paper from the pan to a rack to cool the buns.
22. Icing: combine the powdered sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir well to mix.
23. Place over low heat, and stir until the icing is just warm to the touch.
24. Scraped the icing into a paper cone or a small plastic bag and snip the corner.
25. Pipe a cross on the top of each cooled bun, following the indentation made before baking; let the icing dry for 30 minutes before serving.
26. Storage: keep the buns under a cake dome at room temperature on the day they are baked; they are really best when perfectly fresh.
27. For advance prep: bake the buns, but do not apply glaze or icing; cool the buns, then freeze them in a plastic bag.
28. Before serving, defrost the buns, place them on a cookie sheet and reheat them at 350° for 5 minutes.
29. Then apply the glaze and icing as previously instructed.
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