Author Notes
The softest buttery brioche, plump boozy raisins and lashings of brandied caramel with hits of slightly bitter dark chocolate. It all makes these sticky buns fantastic for a Christmas treat and very hard to resist.
I came across Drizzle and Dip’s recipe for Hot Cross Cinnamon Sticky Buns with its distinct Easter feel in April this year. It looked delicious and I immediately saved it, knowing that I would want to make a Xmas version, adding numerous splashes of brandy and definitely some dark chocolate for an added bit of Xmas decadence. —heinstirred
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
Dough:
-
.25 cups
warm water
-
10 grams
instant dry yeast
-
50 grams
butter, and extra for greasing
-
1 tablespoon
finely grated orange zest (heaped)
-
1 teaspoon
salt
-
4 cups
flour (and extra for dusting)
-
Plumping the Raisins:
-
.33 cups
boiling water
-
.33 cups
brandy
-
Filling:
-
.5 cups
Muscovado sugar
-
.25 cups
light brown or caramel sugar
-
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
-
1 teaspoon
mixed spice
-
2 tablespoons
candied citrus peel, finely diced
-
100 grams
70% dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks or blitzed in the food processor (not too fine)
-
1 cup
raisins
-
40 grams
butter, at room temp
-
Topping:
-
115 grams
butter
-
.75 cups
muscovado sugar
-
.75 cups
cream
-
1 tablespoon
liquid glucose
-
.25 cups
golden syrup
-
2 tablespoons
brandy
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
1 teaspoon
chocolate extract
-
.5 cups
raisins
Directions
-
Make the dough:
-
Combine the water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
-
Set aside for 5 minutes to dissolve and become frothy.
-
Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl with only 3 of the 4 cups of flour.
-
Fit a paddle attachment and mix on a low speed until just combined.
-
Change to a dough hook attachment and mix. While mixing, slowly add the remaining 1 cup of flour, and continue to mix for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
-
Grease a mixing bowl with butter and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the top with some more butter, cover with plastic cling wrap and set aside in a warm area to rise until doubled in size. (this can take about 1 – 2 hours)
-
Plump all the raisins:
-
Place the raisins for the filling and topping in a bowl.
-
Cover with the boiling water and brandy and let it steep for about 30 minutes.
-
Strain into colander and let it drain.
-
Divide into the quantity needed for the filling and sauce.
-
Make the filling:
-
Combine all the ingredients except the butter and plumped raisins and mix. Set aside
-
Assemble the buns:
-
Punch the risen dough down and tip onto a floured surface, sprinkle with more flour so the rolling pin does not stick and roll into a rectangular shape about 45cm long and 30cm wide.
-
Dust off any excess flour and spread the softened butter for the filling over the entire surface.
-
Sprinkle the sugar and chocolate filling evenly over this.
-
Scatter 1 cup of raisins over the sugar mixture and gently press the filling down.
-
Starting from the longest edge, roll the dough and filling up until you have a long log. Brush off any excess flour as you roll and keep the join seam underneath.
-
Let the log rest where it is while making the topping
-
Caramel Sauce:
-
Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat, and then add all the other ingredients except raisins.
-
Bring the mixture to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has come together and is golden brown with a nice sheen (about 3–4 minutes).
-
Pour ¾ of the glaze into baking pan (about 22cm x 32 cm), swirl this around to evenly coat the bottom. Set the rest of the sauce aside.
-
Sprinkle the raisins over the sauce evenly.
-
Trim the edges of the log and then cut it into 16 even pieces.
-
Place the 16 cut slices of log on top of the caramel and raisins, allowing some space in between for proving.
-
Baking:
-
Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C and bake the buns for 35 minutes until golden brown.
-
Check the buns halfway through. If they are browning too fast, cover loosely with tin foil to prevent over browning.
-
Remove from the oven and spread the remaining glaze over the buns.
-
Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack.
See what other Food52ers are saying.