Beremeal Hot Cross Buns
by Marie Lester
Treat yourself to a Bere Hug this Easter (or any time of year!).
There’s something irresistible about a freshly baked hot cross bun – soft, spiced, and just sweet enough. When made with Orkney’s own ancient grain, beremeal, they become something even more special. This unique hot cross bun recipe is courtesy of Marie Lester, a passionate baker who runs workshops and has advised and taught home bakers to make simple, good bread (and now hot cross buns!), both in the UK and internationally.
Marie has named these buns ‘Bere Hugs’ as they literally hug each other as they rise. They bake better and taste better baked together, rather than being baked as individual buns. They are, of course, in celebration of Easter.
Leaven
For these Bere buns, I use fresh yeast to leaven the dough. You can also use dried yeast. Use an osmotolerant yeast, if you can – namely one which is suitable for sweet doughs.
“Custard” (flour and milk roux)
I also use a flour and water ‘custard’ (aka a ‘tangzhong’) which makes the bun light. The ‘custard’ allows the hydration of the dough to be increased, helping to keep the buns fresher for longer.
Special Equipment
To optimise height and crumb, these buns are best proofed and baked in an enamel 25cm x 32cm baking tray (put a piece of baking paper on the bottom to prevent any sticking).
You will also need a good piping bag with a small round nozzle, a kitchen mixer plus a manual whisk.
Step 1: Make the “Custard” (flour and milk roux)
Ingredients
- 30g Bread flour
- 120g Milk (semi-skimmed)
Method
In a saucepan, stir the flour and milk together. Put the pan on a medium heat and gently whisk together until the mixture transforms into a thick gelatinous custard (this occurs at 65°C/150°F, if you want to check it with a thermometer). Remove from the heat. Immediately scrape the custard into a bowl and allow to cool before use. If not using straightaway, cover with cling film (put the cling directly on top of the custard to stop a skin from forming) and refrigerate. Allow to come to room temperature again before use.to allow the flours and water to bind.
Step 2: Make the Preferment
Ingredients
- 15 g fresh yeast (or 5g instant yeast or 7g active dried yeast), osmotolerant if you can get it
- 40 g strong white bread flour
- 10 g bere flour
- 10 g golden caster sugar
- 50 g milk (semi-skimmed)
Method
Heat the milk in a sauce pan until just lukewarm (32-38°C/90 – 100°F). In a bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast into the warm milk (rub in in using your fingers). Add the sugar and flours to the bowl. Let the mixture stand in a warm place for 15 minutes, or until it is bubbly and foaming. If using dried yeast, follow the instructions on the packet.
Step 3: Prepare the Flavourings
Ingredients
- 100 g dried mixed fruit
- 30g candied orange peel, finely chopped (or substitute with mixed dried fruit)
- 4 g (2 tsps) mixed spice (e.g. allspice, ground coriander, cloves, mace, cinnamon)
- 1g (1/2 tsp) nutmeg, freshly-grated
- 25 g orange juice, freshly squeezed
Method
Just before you make the main dough, stir all of the dried and candied fruit, spices and orange juice together in a bowl. Leave for a maximum of 20 minutes (the length of time it takes to make the main dough).
Step 4: Make the Main Dough
Ingredients
- 100 g milk, semi-skimmed (cold)
- All of the custard from step 1
- All of the preferment from step 2
- 110 g egg (equivalent to 2 large eggs)
- 380 g strong white bread flour (plus extra 10-20g, if required)
- 80 g bere flour
- 40 g golden caster sugar
- 8 g salt
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened
Method
In the bowl of your kitchen mixer, add the milk, all of the custard from step 1 and all of the preferment from step 2. Whisk manually.
Add the eggs, one at a time and whisk by hand.
Add the flours and sugar. Put the bowl into the kitchen mixer and turn on to a slow speed (Kitchenaid 3). Mix until a dough forms.
Sprinkle on the salt and mix for 5 minutes.
Add the butter, a little at a time, making sure that the dough is absorbing it all. Mix for 5 minutes, until all the butter has been asorbed. (If the dough hasn’t completely absorbed all the butter, add a spoonful of the extra bread flour and mix briefly. Once the dough is smooth, mix the dough on a medium speed (KA speed 4) for 15 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl and check to see whether the dough will pass the ‘window pane’ test. To do this, break off a little ball of dough and, with wet fingers, gently stretch to see whether the gluten is strong. If not, mix for a further 5 minutes and test again.
Next add the flavourings – the dried fruit and spice mix from Step 3 – and mix on a slow speed (KA speed 3), just until the fruit has been integrated by the dough.
Tip the dough from the bowl onto your work surface. Shape into a ball and place into a bowl. Cover with a clean, damp dish cloth and leave in a warm place (25°c/77°f) to rise for about 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 5: Shape the Buns
Method
Once the dough has risen, gently tip it out onto a clean work surface. Knead lightly to remove the gas from the dough. Divide the dough into 12 pieces each weighing 90g (I got a baker’s dozen out of mine).
Shape each piece into a ball, flatten slightly and place on to a baking tray, lined on the bottom with baking paper.
Cover with a clean light, damp cloth and leave to rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes, until the buns are “hugging” each other and are slightly puffy.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Step 6: Decoration (Prebake)
Ingredients for the Glaze
- 1 Egg yolk
- Pinch of salt
- Splash of milk
Method
Using a pastry brush, glaze the buns with the egg mixture.
Ingredients for the Crosses
- 100g Plain flour
- 100g Water
Method
To make the crosses, mix the plain flour and water together in a bowl to form a paste. Prepare a piping bag with a small round nozzle. Fill the piping bag with the paste and pipe the crosses onto the buns.
Step 7: Bake
Bake in the middle of the over for 15 minutes or until conker brown. When cooked, the internal temperature of the buns will be around 90°C/195°F. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Step 8: Adding the Shine (post-bake)
Ingredients
- 50g Orange marmalade (or apricot preserve)
- 20g Water
Method
Gently heat the marmalade/preserve and water until the jam has dissolved. Sieve to remove any rind. Then using a pastry brush, glaze each bun (place a tray or piece of paper underneath the cooling rack to catch any drips). Allow the glaze to dry.
And enjoy!
(They are very good toasted with a good dollop of butter!)
Fresh From The Mill!
Order your stoneground bere flour from our online shop and enjoy a real bere hug!
About Marie
In 2019, Marie Lester was asked to create the recipes for the book ‘Vintage Breadboards’, published by Prospect Books. This was the beginning of her bread-baking journey.
She has also created recipes for Sharpham Park. In 2020 Roger Saul asked Marie to create a sourdough recipe using his new Heritage Spelt flour with accompanying demonstration method films for Sharpham Park customers. Marie has also created recipes for the British Hemp Company, Netherton Foundry and Totally Swedish. She is now a regular contributor to BROT – the leading German magazine on bread.
Marie runs workshops and has advised and taught home bakers who wish to make simple, good bread, both in the UK and internationally.
In 2024 she launched her ‘Magic of Sourdough‘ recipe series: individual recipes for the home baker. Examples of Marie’s bakes (sourdough, yeast and hybrid) can be found on her Instagram: @marielesterbaker along with a number of reels which demonstrate how to laminate dough, different shaping methods, and ways to score and decorate bread.
Marie is a member of the Guild of Food Writers.
