Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Tangzhong
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the bread flour with the orange juice and fresh zest until no lumps remain. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a translucent paste and reaches exactly 65°C; at this temperature, the starches gelatinise, allowing the dough to hold significantly more moisture. Immediately transfer the roux to a small bowl and press cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then allow it to cool completely before incorporating it into your main dough.
Main Dough
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine your bread flour, instant yeast, sea salt, the cooled orange Tangzhong and mixed spice.
- With the stand mixer running on low speed, whisk together your milk, honey, and egg in a separate jug until fully homogenous. Slowly drizzle this liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and Tangzhong base.
- Once the dough has formed a cohesive, shaggy mass, increase the mixer to medium speed. Begin slowly feeding in your room-temperature unsalted butter piece by piece. Continue mixing for approximately 2 minutes until the butter has completely dissolved into the dough. After the butter is fully incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and knead for 5–7 minutes. You are looking for the dough to transform from a sticky paste into a smooth, elastic ball that completely pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, add your sultanas and candied peel. The objective here is simply to distribute the fruit until it adheres to the dough; over-mixing at this stage can tear the delicate gluten network you’ve just built. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Using your palms, rotate and pull the dough towards you in a circular motion to create surface tension, shaping it into a tight, smooth ball.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with a shower cap or cling film to retain moisture. For the most consistent results, place the bowl into a dough prover set at 25°C for 60–90 minutes. If you don't have a prover, a warm, draught-free area of the kitchen will work perfectly. You are looking for the dough to significantly increase in volume and feel full of air.
Portion and Shaping
- After the dough passes the poke test, turn it out and portion it into 12 consistent 105g balls. Weighing each portion is the secret to a professional, uniform bake where every bun finished at the same time.To shape, cup your hand over a dough portion and move it in a firm, circular motion against the work surface to build lateral tension. Arrange the balls on a pre-lined baking tray in a 4x3 formation, ensuring you leave a 2cm gap between each dough ball. Cover loosely with a shower cap or cling film and return them to the prover at 25°C for 45–60 minutes until the dough balls have risen approximately 85%.
Cross
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, water, vegetable oil, and a pinch of sugar until a thick, pipeable paste forms. The oil is a critical addition; it acts as a plasticiser, ensuring the cross remains supple and expands with the bun rather than cracking or becoming brittle in the oven. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and snip a small hole (approx. 3mm) at the tip.
Baking & Glazing
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan-assisted). Snipping the tip of your piping bag to approximately 3mm, pipe a continuous, steady line across each row of buns, then repeat in the opposite direction to create the iconic cross. Aim for a smooth, fluid motion to ensure the paste sits evenly on the curved surface of the dough.Place the tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. During the first 5–8 minutes.
- While the buns are in the oven, combine the honey and a splash of fresh orange juice in a small saucepan. Heat gently over a low flame, stirring until the honey has completely liquefied and integrated with the juice. As soon as the buns are removed from the oven, use a pastry brush to immediately coat them with the hot syrup while they are still at their maximum temperature.
Notes
1. Orange Yield: Approximately 3 large oranges will provide the required volume of juice and quantity of zest needed for both the Tangzhong and the final honey glaze.
2. Avoiding Dense or Heavy Dough
- The Windowpane Test: If the dough feels heavy or fails to rise, it is often due to under-developed gluten. Ensure the dough passes the "windowpane test" (stretching thin enough to see light through it) before adding the butter and fruit.
- Yeast Vitality: Enriched doughs are heavy for yeast to lift. Ensure your dough temperature is 24°C–26°C
- Consistency: The flour paste should be the consistency of thick toothpaste. If it is too runny, it will melt into the dough; if too thick, it will crack and peel off.
- The Oil Secret: Adding a small amount of oil to the paste ensures the cross remains elastic. This allows it to stretch and grow with the bun during the "oven spring" phase rather than snapping.
- Thermal Timing: For a professional, high-gloss finish that isn't excessively sticky, the glaze must be applied the moment the buns leave the oven.
- The Set: The residual heat from the buns flash-evaporates the water in the orange juice, "locking" the honey sugars into a thin, brilliant film that seals in moisture.
- Structural Integrity: Never add the sultanas and peel at the beginning of the mix. The sugar and acids in the fruit can inhibit gluten development, and the mechanical action of the mixer can tear the dough fibres.
- The "Stick" Method: Only add the fruit on low speed once the dough is fully kneaded and smooth. You only need the fruit to adhere to the surface before the first prove; it will naturally integrate further during the portioning and shaping stages.
- The Energy Reserve: Do not wait for the buns to double in size during the final proof. Stopping the proof at 85% expansion ensures the yeast still has a "reserve" of food and energy.
- Vertical Growth: If the buns are 100% proofed before entering the oven, the structure will be too weak to support the final expansion, causing them to collapse or flatten. By baking at 85%, the sudden heat of the oven triggers a final, dramatic oven spring, creating a tall, rounded bun with a superior, airy crumb.