During an Easter like no other, baking can be that perfect soothing activity to help get through any challenge. The smell of fresh hot cross buns - an aroma of yeast, spice and butter is deliciously calming and capable of generating joyous hunger.
This bun variation is a mix of rich, bitter stout, spices to further enhance the beer flavours and fruity notes of orange and apricot.
Feel free though to play around with flavours, depending what you have available to you. Any beer can be substituted, or replace all the liquid with milk and completely change up the spices and additions.
I’ve added some variants at the bottom- classic and beer and lingonberry (I’ve had these berries in the cupboard for ages and was never quite sure how to use them - so perfect !)
There’s also a recipe for chai honey and babka hot cross buns on the blog - or you can turn the scroll recipes into hot cross buns too - just roll up, bake them on their side and add a cross on top. (or a squiggle or a heart)

Ingredients

Note: I’ve added a range of flour quantities in this recipe, as different flours have different levels of absorbency. Start with the lesser quantity and if the dough feels too wet, add in the rest so that you have an elastic but still soft dough. It’s much easier to add more flour than more liquid !

For the dough:

200ml stout at room temp (can be substituted with Guinness or other dark beer)
80ml full cream milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or essence
600-650g Tipo 00 or strong bread flour
1 tsp malted barley flour (optional but works to improve the dough performance)
10 g instant dry yeast
75g raw sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
zest of one large or two small oranges
juice of one orange
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
100g unsalted butter
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground if possible)
1 tsp crushed juniper berries
1tsp coriander (ground)
1 tsp cinnamon (ground)

For the crosses:

100g plain flour
cold water to make a thick pipeable paste (about 100-120ml)

For the glaze:

60g honey
60g raw sugar
60g water or strained orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole pieces of orange zest
6 cardamon pods
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 star anise

Method

For the dough:

Chop the apricots into small pieces
Juice one orange and warm (I use the microwave), before adding this to the apricots in a bowl.
Crush the juniper berries and add this to the apricot mixture. (if you can’t get juniper berries this will still be delicious)
Allow the apricots to plump while you prepare the rest of the dough.
Heat the milk with the vanilla and butter until the butter has melted. Cool to lukewarm
In a bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, salt, orange zest and spices.
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, milk/butter mixture, stout and sugar.
Knead together using the dough attachment on a stand mixer until smooth and elastic, and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. If the dough feels too wet, add a little extra flour.
Drain the apricots and pat any extra moisture away with a paper towel.
Use the dough hook to knead in the fruit until evenly distributed.
Allow the dough to rise in a warm place in a covered bowl until doubled in size. (about 1 - 1 1/2 hours)
(note - you can also cover the dough and prove overnight in the fridge. Take it out the next morning, leave for and hour, then shape as below)

To shape the buns:

Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius, fan forced.
Empty the dough onto a lightly floured bench and divide into 12 even pieces.
Shape the pieces into round balls and place on a greased, sided tray to prove.
Prove, covered in a tea towel until visibly risen. (about 30-45 minutes)
Brush with milk before adding the crosses.

For the crosses:

Gradually add water to the flour until you have a smooth paste that will hold it’s shape when piped.
Empty into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, or a ziplock back with the edge snipped off.
Pipe the crosses onto the buns just before placing in the oven.

Bake the buns for approximately 25 minutes until golden and well risen.

To make the glaze:

Prepare this while the dough is proving.
Place all the ingredients in a small pot and heat over the stove until runny.
Allow to infuse until ready to use, heating again if it gets too thick.
Brush the glaze liberally on top of the buns as soon as they are out of the oven.

Enjoy the buns straight out of the oven with plenty of butter.

Variations

Dark beer and lingonberry - Try a dark sweet european beer instead of stout. Lingonberries are substituted for apricots. Add a teaspoon of freshly ground cardamon to the dough. Glaze as for the stout buns.

Classic - Omit the beer and make up the quantity of liquid with warm milk. Soak one cup of sultanas and/or raisins and currants in hot water instead of juice. Add a spice blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and a teaspoon of mixed spice. Add mixed peel (if you like it)

Glaze with a blend apricot jam heated with a little water to dilute.