Easter Hot Cross Buns with Cara Cara Jam

35 INGREDIENTS • 27 STEPS • 1DAY 1HR 30MINS

Easter Hot Cross Buns with Cara Cara Jam

Revel in the tradition of Easter Hot Cross Buns, warmly spiced and studded with citrus peel and raisins, paired with a lusciously sweet Cara Cara orange jam. These buns, marked with their iconic crosses and glazed with rum, are a celebratory symbol of the season.
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Revel in the tradition of Easter Hot Cross Buns, warmly spiced and studded with citrus peel and raisins, paired with a lusciously sweet Cara Cara orange jam. These buns, marked with their iconic crosses and glazed with rum, are a celebratory symbol of the season.
author_avatar
Gordon Ramsay
Born in Scotland and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Gordon Ramsay trained with top chefs and opened successful restaurants worldwide. He's also a global TV star with shows like Next Level Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and MasterChef.
https://www.gordonramsay.com/
1DAY 1HR 30MINS
Total Time
Ingredients
Servings
8
us / metric
Cara Cara Jam
Cara Cara Orange
3
Medium Cara Cara Oranges, washed
or organic navel oranges, tangerines, or any other sweet citrus with a thin-to-medium pith
Lemon
1
Lemon, zested, juiced
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
Granulated Sugar
4 cups
Granulated Sugar
Whole Clove
2
Whole Cloves
Whole Cardamom Pods
2
Whole Cardamom Pods
Cinnamon Stick
1 stick
Cinnamon Stick
Vanilla Bean Pod
1
Vanilla Bean Pod
Water Roux (Tangzhong)
Milk
1/2 cup
Milk
Bread Flour
3 1/2 Tbsp
Bread Flour
or all-purpose flour
Water
2 Tbsp
Water
Dough
Raisins
1 cup
Raisins
or dried currants
Rum
4 Tbsp
Rum
Water
1/2 cup
Water
Whole Milk
3/4 cup
Whole Milk, room temperature
Egg
2
Large Eggs
Egg
1
Egg, yolk only
Butter
3 oz
Butter, softened
Instant Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp
Instant Dry Yeast
Brown Sugar
1/4 cup
Brown Sugar
Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Allspice
1/4 tsp
Ground Allspice
Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp
Freshly Grated Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp
Ground Cloves
Salt
1 tsp
Salt
Bread Flour
4 cups
Bread Flour
or all-purpose flour
Mixed Dried Citrus Peels
1/2 cup
Mixed Dried Citrus Peels, minced
Candied
Egg
1
Egg, yolk only
Cream
1 splash
Cream
or Milk
Rum Glaze
Water
2 Tbsp
Water
Rum
4 Tbsp
Rum
Orange
1
Orange, sliced into strips
For 5 strips of orange peel
Granulated Sugar
4 Tbsp
Granulated Sugar
Cross
Bread Flour
1/2 cup
Bread Flour
or all-purpose flour
Water
3 2/3 Tbsp
Water
Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp
Unsalted Butter, softened
Love This Recipe?
author_avatar
Gordon Ramsay
Born in Scotland and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Gordon Ramsay trained with top chefs and opened successful restaurants worldwide. He's also a global TV star with shows like Next Level Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and MasterChef.
https://www.gordonramsay.com/
Cooking InstructionsHide images
step 1
Make the Cara Cara Jam: Cut the Cara Cara Oranges (3) in half, then cut each half in half lengthwise. Slice each orange quarter as thinly as possible, discarding the top and bottom ends and any seeds.
step 2
Place slices and any leftover juice in a medium bowl and add Lemon (1) zest and juice. Add Granulated Sugar (4 cups) to the bowl and stir with a spatula to coat all the orange slices in sugar.
step 3
Place a small plate or other flat object on top of the fruit to submerge the oranges in liquid.
step 4
Cover with plastic wrap and let macerate overnight at room temperature (or in the refrigerator if your kitchen is warm).
step 5
After macerating, transfer the mixture to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and place over medium-high heat.
step 6
Add Whole Cloves (2) Whole Cardamom Pods (2) Cinnamon Stick (1 stick) Vanilla Bean Pod (1) and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer.
step 7
Bring mixture to a simmer for about 2 hours or until the liquid has reduced to a jammy consistency and the thermometer reaches 220˚F (104˚C). Immediately remove from the heat.
step 8
Carefully remove the whole spices and vanilla bean, then use an immersion blender to blend the jam to a creamier consistency.
step 9
Let the jam cool a bit before transferring to airtight containers, and let the containers cool completely before sealing, labeling and storing in the refrigerator. Jam will keep for 3 months, but always look for signs of mold before consuming after it’s initial opening.
step 10
Make the Hot Cross Buns: In a small saucepan, combine the water roux ingredients - Milk (1/2 cup) Bread Flour (3 1/2 Tbsp) Water (2 Tbsp) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste, about 1-2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl to chill.
step 11
Rehydrate the dried fruit by adding dried Raisins (1 cup), Rum (4 Tbsp) and Water (1/2 cup) to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, letting simmer for about 2 minutes before removing from heat and letting soak for 5-10 minutes. Once plump and hydrated, strain and discard the liquid. Pat the fruit dry and set aside.
step 12
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the cooled water roux with all of the dough ingredients Whole Milk (3/4 cup) Eggs (2)Butter (3 oz) Instant Dry Yeast (1 Tbsp) Brown Sugar (1/4 cup) Egg (1) Ground Allspice (1/4 tsp) Salt (1 tsp) Ground Cloves (1/8 tsp) Ground Cinnamon (1 tsp) Ground Nutmeg (1/4 tsp) Bread Flour (4 cups) except the raisins, currants and citrus peel.
step 13
Mix on low speed for 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the dough is soft and elastic. It will still be very sticky and will still fall to the bottom of the bowl (rather than sitting in a ball on the dough hook).
step 14
Add in the raisins and Mixed Dried Citrus Peels (1/2 cup) mixing again on low speed until the fruit is incorporated into the dough. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate if the dough is sticky..
step 15
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. The dough might not double in size, but it should have risen significantly. Generously grease two 9" x 13" baking dishes.
step 16
Make the rum glaze: Place Water (2 Tbsp) Rum (4 Tbsp) and Orange (1) peels in a small skillet and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer then carefully tilt the skillet towards the flame to ignite the rum. Let the alcohol burn for a few seconds before blowing to extinguish.
step 17
Add the Granulated Sugar (4 Tbsp) and reduce heat to let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the glaze is reduced slightly and fragrant. Remove from heat and let the orange peels infuse until ready to use.
step 18
Once risen, turn out the dough onto a greased work surface, and grease your hands as well. Use a knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into quarters, then divide those quarters in half. Each eighth of dough should weigh about 175g.
step 19
Shape the 8 portions into balls (they don’t need to be perfect). From there, divide each of the balls into quarters, leaving you with 32 pieces of dough.
step 20
Grease your hands well throughout this process to make the sticky dough easier to work with.
step 21
Use your hands to roll each portion into a neat ball, tucking and pinching the underneath side closed. If any fruits fall out, simply stick them in the bottom of the ball and reseal.
step 22
Arrange the dough balls evenly between the two baking dishes (you will have 2 extra balls, tuck them in at the top of one of the baking dishes).
step 23
Let the dough rise again for about 1 hour. While the dough rises, make the cross paste: in a small bowl, combine the Bread Flour (1/2 cup) Water (3 2/3 Tbsp) and Unsalted Butter (1 Tbsp) with a spatula and mix until smooth. The paste should be thick enough to pipe but not runny. Add another splash of water if the paste is too stiff. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
step 24
Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
step 25
Once the buns have risen, brush egg wash (Egg (1) yolk only] yolk mixed with a splash of milk or Cream (1 splash) all over the tops and sides of the buns. Snip the tip off the piping bag and pipe the crosses on top. Bake the buns for 22-27 minutes, until they're golden brown on top and the internal temperature reaches 190˚F (87˚C).
step 26
Remove from the oven and immediately brush all over with the rum glaze. Let cool completely before removing from the baking dishes.
step 27
Serve with cara cara jam and cultured butter alongside.
step 27 Serve with cara cara jam and cultured butter alongside.
RECIPES TAG
Brunch
Snack
Shellfish-Free
Easter
Dessert
Vegetarian
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