A Roll with a Long History
These spiced sweet buns are traditionally enjoyed by many Christians on Good Friday, yet their roots reach back to a pre-Christian treat: the four sections were said to represent the moon’s phases or the seasons. To make the signature cross, a paste of flour and water is piped onto the dough before the buns go into the oven.
Info
- Cook time: 35 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 buns
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 (1/4-ounce) packet rapid-rise yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/3 cup chopped candied orange peel
- Cooking spray
For the Crosses and Glaze
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Plump the raisins. In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together the raisins, orange juice, and water. Cover and microwave until the mixture is steaming, about 45 to 60 seconds. Let stand so the raisins soften and cool. Separately, warm the milk in the microwave until it is just lukewarm.
- Mix the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, and egg. Beat on medium speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Pour in the warm milk and beat until a soft, sticky dough forms. Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice, candied orange peel, and the plumped raisins along with any remaining liquid; mix briefly until everything is incorporated.
- Knead and let rise. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour and using a bench scraper as needed, for 3 to 5 minutes. At first the dough will be sticky; keep kneading until it is only slightly tacky and no longer requires flour. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in it, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a heavy damp towel and leave to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Shape the buns. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and gently pat it into an even rectangle. Divide into 12 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Arrange the balls evenly on the baking sheet; cover loosely and let rise again until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Prepare the crosses and preheat. While the buns rise, heat the oven to 400˚F. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 3 tablespoons of water. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon water in 1/2-teaspoon increments, whisking, until you have a thick, smooth paste that can be piped. Transfer the paste to a piping bag fitted with a 3/8-inch or 1/4-inch plain round tip (or use a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off). When the buns have doubled, pipe a cross onto each one.
- Bake. Bake until the buns are golden brown and well risen, 25 to 30 minutes. Move the baking sheet to a wire rack.
- Glaze and serve. In a small bowl, stir together the honey, melted butter, and salt until blended. Brush the mixture over the buns, including the sides. Serve them warm or at room temperature.
