Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter!

Hot Cross Buns

Being abroad means choosing which special traditions you have from your childhood that you will take with you.  This, of course, is always complicated by ingredients, not to mention, whether or not you can actually make the food!  As a child, my mom always bought Hot Cross Buns at a local bakery.  Here in Istanbul, they are not so common, in fact, I have never found them! I have been through several different recipes, and this one, based on the Farm Journals Homemade Bread Cookbook, is my favorite.

HOT CROSS BUNS

2 pkg. dry yeast	½ C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon	¼ t salt
5 ¾ - 6 ¼ C sifted flour	6 T (85g) butter
1 ½ C milk	3 eggs
1 ¼ C currants, raisins, citron or mixture of all three	1/4 t fresh grated nutmeg
1 egg yolk	1 C sifted powdered sugar
2 t water	½ t vanilla extract
	1 T milk

In a large bowl stir together yeast, sugar, cinnamon salt and 2 C flour.  Set aside.

In 2 quart saucepan or glass bowl for microwave, heat 6T butter and 1 ½ C milk until very warm. (120-130F degrees)

With a mixer or by hand, gradually beat milk mixture into yeast mixture until well blended.  Increase speed and beat 2 min more.  Add 3 eggs and 1 ½ C flour.  Increase speed and beat 2 more minutes.

Stir in dried fruit and enough additional flour to make a soft dough.  Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.

Place in large greased bowl, turning over dough so top is also greased.  Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 24 pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball.  Place balls in greased 13”x9”x2”baking pan.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 35 minutes.

In a small bowl mix together egg yolk and water.  Brush balls with the egg yolk mixture to get the nice shiny top.

Bake in 375F degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until buns are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.  Immediately remove from pan to cool on rack.

In small bowl mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk to make a smooth icing.  Put into a small ziplock bag, and cut a corner off to pipe crosses onto the tops of the cooled buns.