For this month’s recipe, I wanted to try my hand at Hot Cross Buns, which are traditionally made on Good Friday. (This post shares some of the history behind it as well as a way easier version that I’ll be keeping in mind for busier seasons.) After I made the dough, the little kids helped me with the last half of the process and they turned out so perfectly imperfect. The kids declared that they were delicious and gobbled them right up!
Hot Cross Buns
Servings: 18 buns
Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter
- 2 pkgs active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water 110 to 115°
- 3 eggs
- 4 cup sifted flour about
- ¾ cup currants
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp cold water
- White Frosting
Instructions
- Scald the milk, then add sugar, salt and butter; cool to lukewarm.
- Sprinkle yeast on the warm water; stir to dissolve.
- Add eggs, yeast and 1 cup flour to the milk mixture; beat with electric mixer at medium speed about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl. Stir in currants and enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough that is easy to handle. Beat well. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease the top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Punch down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
- Roll or pat to ½" thickness. Cut in rounds with a 2½" biscuit cutter; shape cutouts in buns. Place about 1½" apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- With a very sharp knife, cut a shallow cross on the top of each bun. Brush tops with unbeaten egg white mixed with cold water.
- Bake at 375° for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks about 5 minutes. Then, with top of knife or teaspoon, fill in crosses on buns with the White Frosting. Best served warm.
Notes
White Frosting Recipe
Combine 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar, ½ tsp vanilla and 2 Tbsp. hot water. Mix until smooth.
They look lovely 🙂