Hot Cross Buns

By 1For_Him

This centuries-old recipe is so popular we're still singing about it in a nursery rhyme. The yeasty spice-and-dried-fruit buns are eaten in England on Good Friday, and hanging one in your home on the holiday is said to ward off bad luck. Our recipe offers an afternoon of time-honored pleasures: mixing, kneading, shaping, and filling the kitchen with the aroma of baking bread.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 large egg
• 1-1/2 tablespoons instant or bread machine yeast
• 3 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 teaspoons milk

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from familyfun.go.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a glass 2-cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the milk, butter, and sugar and microwave on high until the butter has melted and the milk is just bubbling, about 1 1/2 minutes. Whisk in the water and set the mixture aside until it's lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the egg until well blended and set the mixture aside.

In a large bowl, mix the yeast, flour, salt, cinnamon, and currants. Add the milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until the dough forms a lumpy, sticky mass.

). If the dough is too sticky, you can add more flour as you go. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. To form rolls, divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the pan. Cover the rolls with a tea towel and let them rise at room temperature until they have doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Twenty minutes before baking, heat the oven to 375°.

Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush the top of each roll with the wash.

In a small bowl, make the icing by whisking together the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Spoon the icing into a ziplock bag. Snip a corner from the bag and squeeze an icing cross onto each bun. Makes 12 buns.