This is wildly overengineered but very nice. Inspiration from Justin Gellatly, Dan Lepard, Michael James & Helen Evans.
Makes about 12-14.
Pre-soak
- 150g stout
- 200g raisins
- 100g mixed peel
Infused milk
- 290g whole milk
- 0.5tsp black pepper
- 1tsp cloves
- 2tsp green cardamom
- 2.5tsp grated nutmeg
- 2.5tsp cinnamon
- 2.5tsp ground ginger
Flours
- 200g strong white bread flour
- 220g stoneground white bread flour
- 80g wholemeal heritage flours
Dough
- 40g dark muscovado sugar
- 10g salt
- 7g instant dried yeast
- 40g black treacle
- 85g ripe sourdough starter
- 1 egg
- 1 lemon's zest
- 85g softened butter
Crossing paste
- 80g plain flour
- 75g water
- a pinch of sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a large pinch of white pepper
- 5g oil
Sugar glaze
- 3tbsp golden caster sugar
- 3tbsp water
- Soak the raisins and peel in the tea for at least a couple of hours.
- Grind the whole spices and put them with all of the infused milk ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to 83C and leave to cool.
- Mix the other dry ingredients into the flour. Add the wet ingredients, the infused milk and spices (making it up if necessary), and any liquid remaining in the soaking fruit. Leave for 10 minutes, then knead until the gluten is mostly developed.
- Add the butter and then oil gradually, kneading until completely smooth and combined. Fold in the fruit - it will be very wet but will come together eventually. Leave until roughly doubled in volume (around 2 hours).
- Divide the dough into 12-14 pieces and shape into buns: 110g each makes for a decent sized bun. Proof on covered sheets, almost touching, until about doubled again (around 90 minutes). The buns will touch as they expand.
- Mix together the crossing paste ingredients and put in a piping bag. Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
- When the buns are proofed, pipe on the crosses, put in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until deep golden brown. While they bake, bring the sugar and water to a boil and then brush the buns with the syrup as soon as they come out.