Hot Cross Buns

 

Hot Cross Buns – lightly sweet, orangish scented yeast rolls alongside currants, raisins as well as plenty of warm spices. H5N1 delicious care for traditionally served during Lent as well as the Easter holidays.

Originally published March 2013 – photos as well as recipe updated March 2018

If you’re a long fourth dimension SRFD reader, y'all may know my married adult man finds quondam recipes fascinating as well as frequently asks nearly the background, history or origin.  He asked me why these are called Hot Cross Buns as well as if they convey Christian heritage.  I idea he was holler for nearly the cross on the buns only what he actually wanted to know is why they are called “Hot” Cross Buns.  Are they a “hot” commodity meaning  difficult to find, teach ’em piece y'all can?  Are they “hot” every bit inwards spicy?  Or are they served “hot” from the oven? Inquiring minds!

I tried really difficult to respect an answer only could non provide him alongside a definitive reference to how they were named.  My answer is “they were hot when they came out of the oven” or at to the lowest degree that’s the storey I’m sticking with.

While researching recipes I came across the lyrics to the plant nursery rhyme dating dorsum to 1798 London.

Hot cross buns!

Hot cross buns!

One ha’ penny, ii ha’ penny,

Hot cross buns!

If y'all convey no daughters,

Give them to your sons

One ha’ penny, 

Two ha’ penny

Hot Cross buns 

In improver to this catchy plant nursery rhyme (which I vaguely think from my childhood) I was able to confirm that inwards many Christian countries buns are traditionally eaten hot during Lent through Good Fri alongside the cross serving every bit a reminder as well as symbol of the Crucifixion.

I dearest working alongside yeast as well as am really fond of this recipe.  It’s like shooting fish in a barrel as well as seems to live almost full-proof.  By adding yeast to a warm milk as well as saccharide mixture it volition activate as well as “bloom” the yeast.  Make certain the milk is non likewise hot every bit it volition kill the yeast as well as foreclose your dough from rising.  An cheap instant-read thermometer is a non bad kitchen tool as well as perfect for this purpose.

 

Brush on an egg launder earlier baking to give the buns a nice shiny exterior. Be certain the buns cool completely earlier icing.  I opened the kitchen window to permit the cool breeze speed upward the process.  I couldn’t facial expression to consume i every bit they odor heavenly. Pipe on a picayune elementary icing as well as serve alongside a loving cup of hot tea as well as a picayune butter too!

I dearest the orangish zest as well as spice combination specially alongside the raisins.  These buns are flavor packed, slightly sugariness as well as an absolute treat.   English linguistic communication folklore says that buns baked as well as served on Good Fri volition non spoil or mold during the coming year.  I don’t know nearly y'all only these never terminal that long inwards our house!  I estimate we’ll never know.

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Print

Hot Cross Buns

Prep Time

3 hrs

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Lightly sweet, orangish scented yeast rolls alongside currants, raisins as well as plenty of warm spices. H5N1 traditional care for served during Lent as well as the Easter holidays.

Course:

Bread

Servings: 16 Rolls

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the buns:

• 
  1/2
  cup
  raisins (dark or golden or a mixture is fine)
  


• 
  1/3
  cup
  currants (or to a greater extent than raisins is fine)
  


• 
  Zest of 1 orange
  


• 
  1/4
  cup
  fresh orangish juice (about 1 orange)
  


• 
  1
  package
  active dry out yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
  


• 
  3/4
  cup
  warm whole milk, divided (about 100 degrees on an instant read thermometer)
  


• 
  3 3/4-4
  cups
  unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
  


• 
  1/4
  cup
  granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon, divided
  


• 
  1
  teaspoon
  salt
  


• 
  1 1/2
  teaspoons
  ground cinnamon
  


• 
  1/4
  teaspoon
  ground nutmeg
  


• 
  1/8
  teaspoon
  ground allspice
  


• 
  4
  tablespoons
  unsalted butter, room temperature
  


• 
  2
  large
  eggs, room temperature
  


• 
  1
  large
  egg yolk (reserve egg white for the egg wash)
  

For the egg wash:

• 
  1
  egg white (reserved from above)
  


• 
  1
  tablespoons
  whole milk or cream
  

For the icing:

• 
  1/3
  cup
  powdered sugar
  


• 
  1
  teaspoon
  whole milk or cream (more or less every bit needed for desired consistency)
  

Instructions

To brand the buns:

1. 
   

   Line a large rimmed baking sail alongside parchment paper. Set aside.

   
   


2. 
   

   Combine the raisins, currants, orangish juice as well as orangish zest inwards a microwave condom container. Heat for xxx seconds on high power, stir as well as estrus for some other fifteen seconds. Set aside to cool.

   
   


3. 
   

   In a modest bowl add together 1/4 loving cup warm milk. (Make certain the milk is nearly 100-105 degrees using an instant read thermometer. If the milk is non warm plenty the yeast volition non blossom quickly. If the milk is likewise hot it volition kill the yeast as well as non rise.) Add 1 teaspoon of granulated saccharide to the warm milk as well as stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast on top as well as stir lightly. Allow the milk as well as yeast to residuum at room temperature until foamy, nearly 10 minutes.

   
   


4. 
   

   In the bowl of a stand upward mixer, whisk together iii 1/2 cups of the flour, 1/4 loving cup of sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg as well as allspice. Create a good inwards the middle of the flour mixture as well as pour inwards the bloomed yeast. Add the butter, eggs, egg yolk as well as the remaining 1/2 loving cup of warm milk. Using the paddle attachment, mix the ought until good blended. The mixture volition live sticky. Add the currants, raisins, orangish zest as well as orangish juice. Mix until blended.

   
   


5. 
   

   Switch the paddle attachment for a dough hook. Knead the dough on depression speed piece like shooting fish in a barrel adding the additional 1/4 to a maximum of 1/2 loving cup of flour, i tablespoon at a fourth dimension every bit needed to brand a cohesive dough. Knead good later on each improver until the dough is slightly pasty only doesn't stick to your fingers.

   
   


6. 
   

   Form the dough into a ball as well as encompass alongside plastic wrap or a build clean kitchen tea towel. Allow the dough to residuum inwards a warm location costless from drafts, for 2 hours or until doubled inwards size. (I utilisation my microwave every bit a proofing oven every bit it stays warm when the delineate of piece of job lite is on underneath.)

   
   


7. 
   

   Press downwardly the dough gently as well as plough out onto a lightly floured, build clean function surface. Gently shape the dough into a log. Cut the log inwards one-half as well as hence each one-half into 8 equal size pieces. Form each slice of dough into a ball past times pulling the sides downwardly to the bottom pinching it together to seal. This volition exercise a smoothen top for each bun. Place the dough balls on the prepared pan nearly 1-inch apart. Gently encompass the baking sail alongside plastic wrap as well as allow the dough to ascension in i lawsuit to a greater extent than until the buns convey doubled inwards size, nearly 45-60 minutes. (Again I position the dough inwards the microwave to proceed warm as well as costless from drafts. If placed inwards the microwave, at that spot is no demand to encompass alongside plastic wrap)

   
   


8. 
   

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

   
   

For the egg wash:

1. 
   

   Whisk the egg white as well as 1 tablespoon of milk together inwards a modest bowl. Brush each bun alongside the egg launder taking aid to completely encompass each i evenly.

   
   


2. 
   

   Bake inwards the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven as well as allow the buns to cool on a wire rack earlier icing.

   
   

For the icing:

1. 
   

   Whisk together the powdered saccharide as well as 1 teaspoon milk until smoothen (add 1/4 tsp additional milk if needed for desired consistency.) You'll wish a thick icing that volition non run. Pipe or spoon the icing on each bun to brand a cross. Serve as well as enjoy!

   
   

Recipe Notes

Store at room temperature

Prep fourth dimension includes rising time

Our Hot Cross Buns were adapted from recipes on Simply Recipes as well as King Arthur Flour

The next kitchen tools are non bad to convey when making these buns – click on the photos for to a greater extent than information:

 

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This fourth dimension of twelvemonth is non bad for baking as well as brunch! We dearest serving a picayune something sugariness at a large theater unit of measurement vacation brunch or Mother’s solar daytime celebration. Be certain to banking concern gibe out our delicious Raspberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake, our Blueberry Buttermilk Biscuits and this wonderful Buttery Apricot Scone Recipe too. Here are a few to a greater extent than amazing brunch recipes from some of our favorite blogs:

• Eggs Benedict Quiche alongside Hollandaise Sauce from The View from Great Island


• Baked Lemon French Toast from Seasons as well as Suppers


• Overnight Blackberry Yeast Waffles alongside Blackberry Syrup from Mom On Timeout


• Easter Sugar Cookie Cake from Crazy for Crust

These Hot Cross Buns are ever a large hitting alongside our family! Put them on your annual rotation for vacation baking must endeavour recipes.  Making Hot Cross Buns is a lovely Easter tradition as well as sugariness reminder of our Lord’s sacrifice on the Cross.

I promise y'all convey a wonderful calendar week as well as thank y'all hence much for stopping by!

Tricia

Source: savingdessert.com