Ingredients
FOR DOUGH
Dates1/3 cup, chopped
Dried Prunes1/3 cup, chopped
Golden Raisins1/3 cup
Rum1/4 cup
All-Purpose Flour4 cups
Rye Flour1/2 cup
Cinnamon1 tsp
Nutmeg1/2 tsp
Clovesor allspice 1/4 tsp
Baking Powder1 tbsp
Kosher Salt2 tsp
Instant Yeast2 tsp
Butter6 tbsp unsalted, room temperature
Eggs2 large
Flamingo Estate Biointensive Native Wildflower Honey1/4 cup, plus more for finishing
Whole Milk1 cup, warmed gently
FOR CROSS MIXTURE
All-Purpose Flour1/2 cup
Water6-8 tbsp
FOR TOPPING
Eggs1
Milk2 tbsp
Steps
- Line with parchment and lightly grease a 10" square pan or 9" x 13" pan. Mix the rum, dates, raisins, and dried prunes in a small sauce pot and set over a medium flame. Heat the mixture just until it gets nice and warm, then cover and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Measure your flours by gently spooning them into a measuring cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix together all of the remaining dough ingredients, except for the dried fruits. Knead the mixture, using an electric mixer with a dough hook, or by hand, until the dough is soft and elastic. It'll be very slack, sticking to the bottom of the bowl, (or surface) and your hands as you work with it (oiling your hands helps, and it's also a nice way to keep them supple). Mix in the cooled fruit and any liquid not absorbed. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk. Alternatively, you may cover and refrigerate the dough overnight or up to 12 hours. If you do this be sure to let the dough come up to room temperature for 90 mins before moving on to the next steps.
- Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3-4 ounces each. A heaped ice-cream scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. You'll make 9 - 12. Use your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan. Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they've puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Beat together the egg and milk for the topping and brush it over the buns.
- FOR THE CROSSES:
- Mix flour and water until a thick paste forms. Fill a piping bag with or a ziplock bag with the paste and snip the end (or corner). Pipe crosses across the buns, hugging the curves.
- Bake the buns for 20 - 30 minutes, until they're glossy, golden brown and reach an internal temp of 190°F. Remove from the oven, brush the tops with additional honey and then carefully turn the buns out of the pan (they should come out in one large piece), and transfer them to a rack to cool.
- Serve with lots of butter and your favorite jam (we are pretty smitten with the Flamingo Estate Tamarind jam for these babies)
- *adapted from King Arthur “Easy Hot Cross Buns”
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