Hot Cross Buns

why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here! but is Risen
Luke 24: 5-6

May you rejoice in His triumph! Happy Easter every one...


A hot cross bun, or cross-bun, is a type of sweet spiced bun made with currants or raisins and leavened with yeast. It has a cross marked on the top which might be effected in one of a variety of ways including: pastry, flour and water mixture, rice paper, icing, or intersecting cuts.

In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of The Crucifixion. They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" is not until 1733; it is believed that buns marked with a cross were eaten by Saxons in honour of the goddess Eostre (the cross is thought to have symbolised the four quarters of the moon); "Eostre" is probably the origin of the name "Easter". Others claim that the Greeks marked cakes with a cross, much earlier.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe - Canadian Living Magazine

Ingredients

1/2 granulated sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 pkg (15ml)active dry yeast
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp mahleb – A Lebanese Touch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup milk, warmed (used one cup milk no water added)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg

1 egg yolk
1/2cup cup dried currants

½ cup raisin
1/4 chopped candied peel, mixed
Glaze
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp water
Icing
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp water

Preparation:

In small bowl, dissolve 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Meanwhile, in large bowl, blend together remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; make well in center. Whisk together milk, butter, egg and egg yolk; pour into well. Pour in yeast mixture. With wooden spoon, stir until soft dough forms.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead for 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in currants and peel. Shape into 12-inch (30 cm) log; with serrated knife, cut into 9 pieces, Shape each into ball, stretching and pinching dough underneath to make tops smooth. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes. Bake in center of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Glaze: In saucepan, stir sugar with water over medium heat until dissolved; brush over buns. Let cool in pan.

Icing: Stir icing sugar with water. Using piping bag fitted with round tip, pipe cross on top of each cooled bun.

I doubled the recipe and got 24 delicious buns.

Its too hot even to taste.

P.S. wait until the buns have cooled before adding the icing... I learned from my mistake.

the icing was melting on the hot buns...