HOT CROSS BUNS- The Easter Rituals continue....

Hot Cross buns! Hot Cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot Cross buns!

If your daughters won’t eat them,
Give them to your sons;
But if you have none of those little elves,
Then you must eat them all yourselves!

I love it that each holiday has delicious baking associated with it.  Take today for instance - all over the place, especially England, people bake and eat delicious sweet breads called Hot Cross buns on Good Friday.  I have never made Hot Cross Buns before, so this year I decided to go for it.  I have vague memories of having consumed store bought varieties at some point, but I am pretty sure they weren't as wholesome and delicious as this recipe.  Now, as you probably know, most Hot Cross Buns have an icing sugar cross painted on them.....not these.  I am not a huge fan of icing sugar, so I opted to omit the cross painting, but by all means, if you really like sugar, paint away!  (I just discovered a new way to ice your buns!  Mix cream cheese with a little honey, and pipe onto each bun!  Yay!)  I also meant to glaze the buns with warm apricot jam but forgot to pick some up, and all the stores are closed.  So sad.   I just baked a new batch and took a picture of the apricot glazed buns......shiny happy hot cross buns holding hands!

HOT CROSS BUNS

¾ cup organic unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup organic whole milk

3/4 cup local honey

4 1/2 tsp (2 packages) active dry yeast

1 Tbsp sea salt

Zest of 1 organic lemon

Zest of 1 organic orange

4 organic eggs, lightly beaten

5 ½-6  cups organic flour

2 Tbsp organic cinnamon, ground

1 tsp organic nutmeg, ground

1 1/3 cups organic currants, raisins, or dried cherries or cranberries

1/2 cup apricot jam

Optional Icing: ½ cup organic cream cheese
2 Tbsp local honey

Method:  Grease a large bowl and set aside. Place  the milk in a small saucepan, over medium heat. Heat until milk is warm or reaches 110*. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl.  Add the yeast and a tablespoon of the sweetener.  Let the yeast awaken and start to foam and then stir in the rest of the honey, salt, lemon zest, and orange zest.

In a large bowl, blend together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the yeast mixture, butter, and egg; pour into well. With wooden spoon, stir until soft dough forms.  Knead until smooth.  Then knead in the dried fruit.

Place dough in prepared bowl. Turn to coat with oil. Cover with a pot lid or overturned bowl or plate and let rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours.  Don't be alarmed if it doesn't expand very much.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Turn dough out onto work surface. Knead briefly and roll dough into a log. Cut the log into 12 pieces the size of an egg.  Shape into smooth balls.  Place close together on the baking sheet and brush the tops with butter.  Cover well with a floured dish towel and let rise in a warm place for about half an hour.  When half risen in the pan, cut two gashes at right angles across top of buns.  Continue to let them rise for another half hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Transfer buns to oven and bake until golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheets after 10 minutes.   

Meanwhile, place apricot jam in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until heated through; strain through a mesh sieve set over a bowl. Brush heated jam over warm buns.

 Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Icing: Mix the cream cheese and honey together. Usinga piping bag fitted with round tip, pipe cross on top of each cooled bun.