Sourdough hot cross buns

Read the full method, check the stated equipment and prepare every listed ingredient. Keep dough, filling, wash, topping and handling groups separate. Weigh edible parts as described in the ingredient list.

Cover dough fruit with hot water if dry.

Soak for 15 minutes if needed.

Drain very well, pat dry and cool the fruit before mixing it into dough.

Mix all dough ingredients except dough butter and any dried fruit. Keep filling, wash and finishing ingredients separate. Cover.

Rest covered for 20 minutes.

Knead on low for 6–8 minutes until the dough begins stretching smoothly.

Add soft dough butter in small pieces and knead for 5–8 minutes until elastic and able to stretch into a thin translucent sheet. Keep dough below about 27°C; if greasy or warm, add a refrigerator pause before continuing.

Knead in the well-drained, cooled, dried dough fruit on low just until evenly distributed.

Allow 5–10 hours in total from adding the starter, including mixing, rests and folds already completed. At 22–26°C use the dough rather than the clock: At 24–26°C aim for 60–75% growth, a rounded surface and an aerated feel. Enriched dough can be slower at 22°C. Keep covered and stop before collapse.

Divide equally according to yield and round gently. Cover.

Arrange in the prepared square tin and cover.

Allow 3–5 hours; the timer is an estimate. Buns should be clearly puffy, aerated and nearly touching. Begin heating the oven near the end of proofing.

Heat the oven to 170°C fan.

Allow about 15 minutes of heating in total and check that the oven has reached 170°C fan.

Continue covered until ready. Buns should be clearly puffy, aerated and nearly touching.

Mix cross flour and cross water to a pipeable paste and pipe continuous lines across the buns.

Check the oven has reached the stated setting and carefully put in the prepared tray or tin.

Bake at 190°C conventional / 170°C fan for 25–32 minutes, until evenly golden and about 92–94°C in the dough. Cover loosely if browning before the centre is cooked.

Take the bake out of the oven and set it on a heatproof surface.

Warm apricot jam with the listed glaze water and sieve if needed.

Brush over the hot buns.

Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.