"No-Knead" Hot Cross Buns
Author: Nancy Baggett
Like the recipes in Kneadlessly Simple, this one requires no kneading or yeast baking expertise whatsoever. Don’t worry that the ice water called for will harm the yeast—as long as you use the fast-rising or bread machine yeast specified and check the package date for freshness, the buns will rise beautifully. But the ice water does help improve their texture and flavor! I’ve not only eliminated the kneading but simplified the hand-shaping so that even those in a hurry or unused to working with dough can proceed efficiently. Elizabeth David mentions using bun moulds for shaping the dough, but since these are not available in this country, I call for simply cutting it into bun-sized portions and patting them into rough rounds.

The buns are best served fresh and warm, so for convenience you may want to use the “extended” refrigerator rise option for the second rise and hold them until needed. Refrigerate the panned buns for up to 48 hours ahead, then let them warm up and double from their original size (usually 1 to 1½ hours) before baking.
Ingredients
  • About 3½ to 4 cups (17½ to 20 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, divided
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus 3 tablespoons more, divided
  • Generous 1 teaspoon plain table salt
  • 1 teaspoon rapid rising, bread machine or instant yeast
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom or ⅛ teaspoons ground cloves
  • Scant 1¼ cups ice water (mix cold water with heaping cup of ice cubes for 30 seconds before measuring), plus more ice water if needed
  • Grated zest (colored part of the peel) from 1 small orange
  • ½ to ⅔ cup dried currants or dark, seedless raisins, soaked in hot water 5 minutes, then drained well and patted dry on paper towels
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, divided
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
Icing
  • ⅔ cup powdered sugar blended with 2½ tablespoons orange juice until smooth and very fluid, plus more powdered sugar as needed
Instructions
First rise:
  1. In a 3-4 quart bowl thoroughly stir together 2½ cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, salt, yeast, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir in the water and orange zest then 3 tablespoons butter and currants, scraping down the sides and stirring just until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. The mixture should be fairly stiff; if necessary, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more flour to thicken it slightly. Brush the dough top with a little more butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Optional step: for best flavor or convenience, you may refrigerate the dough for 3 to 8 hours. Or simply set it out at cool room temperature (about 70 degrees F) for 8 to 12 hours.
Second rise:
  1. Using a fork and working in a medium bowl, beat the egg lightly. Remove about half of it and reserve, covered, in the refrigerator to brush over the dough just before baking. Beat together the remaining egg, the milk powder and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until well blended. Vigorously stir this mixture into the dough, scraping down the bowl sides. Gradually stir in ½ to ¾ cup or enough more flour to yield a fairly stiff dough. Then, sprinkling over more flour and turning the dough as you work, smooth and press it into the surface until the dough is stiffened enough to almost hold its shape and is easier to handle. Set aside to firm up for 5 minutes.
  2. Generously butter a 9- by 13-inch (or larger) flat baking dish. Generously dust a large cutting board with flour. With flour-dusted hands, transfer the dough to the cutting board. Using a buttered sharp serrated knife, cut the dough into quarters. Then shape a quarter into an evenly-thick log, dusting with flour as needed. Cut the log crosswise into 5 or 6 squarish buns. Dust them with flour and pat them into a rounded shape; don’t worry about making them perfect. Place them evenly spaced in an even row down the length of the dish, then pat down slightly. Repeat with the remaining portions, adding three more rows and filling the interior. Brush any remaining butter over the buns. If desired, cut a ½-inch deep cross in the center of each bun; buttered shears work best. Cover the dish with nonstick spray-coated plastic wrap.
  3. Let rise using any of these methods: for a 1½ to 2½ hour regular rise, let stand at warm (74-75 degrees F) room temperature; for a 1 to 1½ hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, up to 48 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough nears the plastic. Remove it and continue until the dough doubles from its deflated size.
Baking Preliminaries:
  1. Fifteen minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees F. Add 1 tablespoon warm water to the reserved egg, then brush this glaze evenly over the buns.
Baking:
  1. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 17 to 22 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned and a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom. Bake 3 to 4 minutes more (or to 203-206 degrees F on an instant read thermometer) to be sure the centers are done. Transfer the dish to a cooling rack. Immediately brush the tops of the buns with the icing; it should be fairly fluid, so add a little water or sugar if needed. Repeat with a second layer of icing. Add enough more powdered sugar to stiffen the remaining icing to piping consistency. Put it in a piping bag or sturdy plastic baggie. Snip off the tip or a bag corner, then drizzle icing to form a cross on each bun, as shown. Let the buns cool just slightly, then serve immediately.
Notes
Tip: Resist the temptation to toss extra spice into the dough, as it will inhibit the yeast and can result in poor rising. I also love to use ground cardamom, but if you don’t have it, substitute half as much ground cloves.
Recipe by KitchenLane at http://kitchenlane.com/2009/04/no-knead-hot-cross-buns.html