Hot Cross Buns

Go ahead and sing the song….one ha’ penny, two ha’ penny, hot cross buns!

Lately Monday has been bread-baking day at our house. This week I wanted to try something different while using the white winter wheat I had received. From the April 2010 issue of Family Fun, I had saved a recipe for Hot Cross Buns.

I followed the recipe fairly closely, using one cup of wheat flour and two cups of white, reducing the sugar just a bit (of course!) and eliminating the egg wash that was called for just prior to baking the buns.

The end result was very tasty! While my daughters helped me make homemade bread several times this summer, this is a recipe I would like for them to make soon as it is simple and delicious.

Hot Cross Buns

Dough:
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1 large egg
1-1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
3 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Icing:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons milk

Combine the milk, butter, and sugar in a small bowl 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 allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Whisk the egg into the liquid mixture until well blended.

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, flour, salt, cinnamon, and raisins. Add the milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it 3 to 4 minutes, or until it’s smooth and elastic. Add more flour as necessary if the dough is too sticky. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch down the dough in the bowl, then transfer it to a floured surface. Cover the dough and let it rest 10 more minutes.

To form rolls, divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Cover the rolls with a towel and allow them to rise at room temperature until they have doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Bake the rolls at 375 degrees until brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Spoon the icing into a plastic, resealable bag. Snip a corner from the bag and squeeze an icing cross onto each bun.

Makes 12 buns.

Find more homemaking ideas at Raising Homemakers weekly link-up. Family traditions and recipes are shared at Coupon Cookin’s Tasty Traditions.