Sourdough Spelt Hot Cross Buns Recipe
These delicious whole grain sourdough spelt hot cross buns have traditional flour paste crosses and are loaded with dried fruit, orange zest and spices.
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 313kcal
Ingredients
Sponge
- 100 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 100 g whole spelt flour about 1 scant cup
- 100 g cool water about 3 fl oz
Base Dough
- 250 g whole spelt flour about 2 cups
- 6 g salt 1 tsp
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 6 tablespoons full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Dough Inclusions
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon orange zest or zest from 1 navel orange
- 160 g dried fruit a little over 1 cup, chopped if large
Crosses
- 50 g all purpose flour about 3 tbs
- 50 mL water about 3 tbs
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Make Sponge:
- 24 hours before baking start your sponge.
- Mix together equal amounts of sourdough starter, spelt flour and water in a jar or bowl and let sit for 12 hours until risen and bubbly. I like to do the in the morning for buns the next morning.
Bulk Fermentation:
- When sponge is ready, mix together sponge, spelt, salt, yeast, coconut milk, olive oil, honey in a bowl and knead for 5 minutes until dough comes together, it will be soft and sticky. If dough seems too dry add a splash of water and knead it in until sticky to the touch.
- Cover dough in bowl with a damp tea towel (or cellophane) and let rise and room temperature overnight. It should should be nearly doubled in size the next morning.
Add Dough Inclusions and Proof:
- Scatter chopped dried fruits (I like currants and dates the best), ground cinnamon and orange zest over the dough and fold them into dough using hands until evenly incorporated.
- Divide dough into 9 equal pieces and shape into balls.
- Arrange them so that they are touching on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a damp tea towel. Proof for 1 hour-they will puff up a bit (Note: I like to proof them in the oven turned off with the light on- makes it slightly warmer than room temp).
- Halfway through proofing preheat oven to 425˚F/220˚C (make sure remove buns from oven first).
Pipe Crosses:
- Mix equal parts all-purpose flour and water into a paste. Scoop paste into a piping bag, or ziploc bag and snip the corner.
- Pipe crosses over tops of buns.
- Bake at 425˚F/220˚C for 20-25 minutes until dark golden brown. You will smell them when they are ready and when tapped they will sound hollow.
Glaze Buns:
- Remove buns from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Mix apricot jam with a splash of water or orange juice and brush liberally over top of buns (Alternatively you can make a glaze of maple syrup with a splash of orange juice-also very good!).
- Serve hot cross buns warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Yeasted breads like hot cross buns are best eaten the day they are made. To keep them fresh, store them in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- For longer storage, slice the buns in half and freeze them in freezer bags. Warm them in a toaster or the oven before servings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bun | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg