HOT CROSS BUNS
Legend has it that if you make yeasted hot cross buns for Good Friday and hang one up in the kitchen, you’ll have success with anything you make with yeast all year ‘round.
Let the kids help.
You can also simply use the icing as a glaze over the whole bun.
Ingredients
1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast, regular or rapid rise
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 cup warm milk (110° -115°)
1/4 cup softened butter
Couple dashes salt
1/2 to 1 cup raisins
1 large egg, room temperature
3-1/2 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
In mixer bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm milk. Let stand for 5 minutes. It will foam up. Add butter, raisins, egg, salt and remaining sugar; beat until smooth.
On low speed, pour in enough flour to form soft dough - I used 3-1/2 cups. Turn onto very lightly floured surface (not too much flour or buns will be tough); knead until smooth like a baby’s bottom, about5 minutes. I used the dough hook so avoided hand kneading and extra flour.
Place in sprayed bowl, turning once to coat top. Bless dough! Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 hour or more. Stick a finger in gently, if indentation remains, you’re good to go; if it springs back, it needs to raise more.
Punch dough down. Divide into 12portions. Shape into balls.
Place in sprayed or buttered 13x9 pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Bake in 375 degree oven 25-30 minutes or until golden. Mine were done at 25 minutes.
Icing
Whisk together:
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Enough water to make an icing thick enough to form a cross.
Ice after buns cool. Some bakeries drizzle a thin glaze on top of the buns BEFORE adding the cross. You can do what you like.