I’ve been experimenting with sourdough hot cross recipes, and reckon I’ve finally cracked it (just in time for Good Friday).

Sourdough can be a healthier option for bread products, as it’s fermented which causes it to have a lower G.I, which reduces those blood sugar spikes that bread can cause. It also seems to be better tolerated by gluten-intolerant folks (check out this article which explains why people who can’t eat gluten can eat sourdough).

Here’s how I make my sourdough hot cross buns but be warned; you need to start a day and a half before you want to eat them.

For the buns:

2 cups sourdough starter (made from 1/4 cup starter + 1.5 cups plain flour + 1 cup water)

1.5-2 cups plain flour

1/4 cup sugar (or brown sugar for a darker bun)

1/4 cup melted butter

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1.5 teaspoons mixed spice

1.5 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup sultanas

For the crosses:

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

enough water to make sticky mixture, about 2-3 tablespoons

 

For the glaze:

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1.5 tablespoons boiling water

 

Make the sourdough mixture by combining the starter, flour and water and leaving for 8-12 hours until bubbly. Or you might already have 2 cups of starter ready to go, in which case you can go straight to the next stage.

Using a dough hook if you’re lazy like me, or you can knead by hand, mix the sourdough mixture with all the ingredients except the sultanas until smooth and stretchy. Vary the amount of flour to get the consistency that works for you.  Fold through the sultanas, then leave covered in a warm spot for several hours until doubled in size. I usually make the dough in the morning, leave it all day, then roll into buns at the end of the evening.

Roll the dough into 12 balls, space them evenly in a roasting tin, and leave covered again until double in size. I like to leave them overnight so they’re ready to bake in the morning.

At this point, you might like to add crosses. I just put all the ingredients in a small zip lock bag and mush it around until it’s the consistency of a thick paste. Then I snip one bottom corner off the bag and hey presto-a piping bag! Pipe crosses across the top of the buns.

Bake the buns at 200 degrees C for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Immediately after removing from the oven, brush over the glaze, which is made by simply mixing the 3 ingredients until well combined.

Best served hot from the oven and slathered with butter.