Cheese & Marmite Hot Cross Buns
These cheese & marmite hot cross buns pack a serious punch! Made with 2 types of cheese & a tangzhong for extra flavour & a fluffy texture.
Servings: 9 Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Small Saucepan
- Heatproof Jug
- Digital Food Probe
- Cheese Grater
- Mixing Bowls
- Large Baking Tray
- Piping Bag
- Dough Scraper
- Bench Knife
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 20 g Strong White Bread Flour
- 40 g Whole Milk
- 40 g Water
Dough
- 380 g Strong White Bread Flour
- 5 g Fast Action/Instant Yeast
- 6 g Sea Salt I Use Maldon
- 1 tsp Skimmed Milk Powder Optional
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 160 g Whole Milk
- 2 tsp Marmite
- 35 g Unsalted Butter Softened
- 75 g Red Leicester Grated
- 75 g Mature Cheddar Grated
Cross
- 2 tbsp Plain Flour
- ½ tsp English Mustard Powder
- Cold Water
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Whole Milk
To Finish
- 20 g Melted Butter
Instructions
Tangzhong
- Place the flour, milk & water into a small saucepan & whisk to combine. Cook over a low heat until you have a thick paste, stirring constantly with a spatula.
- Transfer the tangzhong to a bowl & leave to cool to room temperature.
Dough
- Place the flour, instant yeast, salt, milk powder (if using) & egg yolk into the bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough hook attached.
- Next, place the marmite & milk into a heatproof jug then microwave until it reaches a temperature of 38°c/100°f. Stir the warm milk, to melt the marmite then pour into the flour.
- Mix the dough on a medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until smooth then with the mixer still running, add in the butter a small piece at a time. Make sure to let each piece of butter mix in fully before adding in more.
- Once all the butter has been added, keep kneading the dough for another 5 minutes or so, until it passes the windowpane test.
- Next, take the mixing bowl off the mixer then add in the grated cheeses. Gently knead the cheese into the dough by hand then transfer to an oiled mixing bowl. Cover with clingfilm then leave to double in size at room temperature. This will take 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, knock it back, tip out onto a clean work surface then divide into 9 equal pieces, using a bench knife. Each piece should weigh around 90 grams.
- Shape each piece of dough into a ball then place onto a lined baking tray, in 3 rows of 3, leaving a couple of centimetres between each bun. Cover the tray lightly with clingfilm (or an upside down roasting tin) & leave to prove for another 1-1½ hours, until almost doubled in size.The buns should have risen by about 75%.
- Whilst your buns are rising, preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (356°f/320°f).
Baking
- Place the plain flour & mustard powder (for the cross) into a small mixing bowl then whisk in enough cold water to make a smooth & thick (but pipe able) paste*. Transfer into a piping bag.*Start with a tbsp of water then add in more as necessary.
- Whisk together the egg & milk for the egg wash then brush a light layer over each bun.
- Next, snip the end off the piping bag then pipe a cross over the top of each bun.
- Bake the hot cross buns for 20-25 minutes, until a deep golden brown then brush the top of each bun with melted butter. Leave to cool completely then serve.Melt the butter just before the hot cross buns come out of the oven!
Notes
1. Cooking In An Aga - Cook the tangzhong using the simmering plate & bake the hot cross buns in the baking oven, on the bottom set of runners.
2. Cheese - I used a mix of mature cheddar & red Leicester for the best colour & flavour. But feel free to use different cheeses if you'd prefer. Parmesan or gruyere would be some other good options.
3. Flour - You'll need a strong white bread flour for this recipe (12-15% protein). I use a Canadian white bread flour from Shipton Mill in the UK.
4. Yeast - We're using instant yeast in this recipe which doesn't need activating before using. Dried active yeast can also be used but will need to be mixed into the warm milk & left to go frothy before adding to the flour. Keep in mind that the dough will take a bit longer to rise as well.
5. Skimmed Milk Powder - Adding milk powder to the dough is optional but helps give the hot cross buns a deeper, golden colour once baked.
6. Storage - These hot cross buns are best eaten on the same day as being made but will keep for several days if stored in an airtight container. The hot cross buns can also be toasted to serve. They'll still be just as good!