Hot Cross Buns

Robin's Hot Cross Buns

This year I made hot cross buns for the first time.  Yeah, I know it's way past Easter.  

Whatever.

Anyway, it was easier than I thought.  Here's what I did:

Robin's Hot Cross Buns

Don't forget the well.

• 6 ½ C flour
• 3 tsp cardamom or cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp sea or kosher salt
• 1-2 ¼ C mixed dried fruit, chopped:  citrus, currants, raisins, craisins, apricots, etc. 

Mix all of that together in a large bowl [big enough to mix all the dough in]  leaving a well in the center and put it in the oven to warm up.   Use the lowest oven setting.  

Happy yeast!

• ½ C butter
• 2 C milk
• 1 C sugar
• 5 tsp yeast

Melt butter.  Take off heat.   Add milk.   The milk should warm up to skin temp quickly in the pan.   In another bowl, mix the dry yeast and the sugar well.   Add the sugar and yeast to the milk/butter mix and stir well.   Let sit until yeast dissolves. 

• 2 large eggs lightly beaten.

Cover with damp towel

When the flour mixture is good and warm and the yeast is dissolved in the milk,  pour the yeast mix and the eggs in the flour mix.  Roll to mix using a large spoon or your hands.   Roll until all the flour is incorporated into the dough.   If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.   If it is too dry, add  warm [not hot] water 1 tsp at a time until it is right.     Handle the dough as little as possible for tender bread.  

Cover bowl with damp cloth.  Let rise until double.

Divide into 24 rolls.

Pull dough out on floured surface.   Divide into 24 balls.   Set balls on greased baking pan close together but not touching.   

Let rise 30-45 minutes until doubled and touching.   Pre-heat oven to 500° F.

Egg Glaze: 

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 Tb milk 

Cut surface of rolls in cross, brush with egg glaze. 

Traditionally the cross is put on before baking.  That's what I did.  OR  you can leave the topping off and put icing crosses on after they’re baked and cooled.  

Pre-baking Topping:

• ¼ C flour
• 1 T sugar
• 3-4 T water

Mix well in bowl.   Spoon or pipe onto cross.   Put in oven and turn the temp down to 400°.   Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Post-baking-and-cooled Icing:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons milk