Hot cross buns

“One a penny, two a penny hot cross buns” ! Have you heard that song? I learnt it in my childhood but DH had never heard of it. So I guess it wasn’t all that popular. Before easter, I saw ads and recipes every where for hot cross buns. This is the song that came to my mind . Given it’s popularity, I figured it is the thing to make on easter. I hadn’t baked anything new in some time and was looking for a new recipe to try. So on it went on my things to try on the weekend. My buns are missing the classic “hot cross” part of the hot cross buns but DH didn’t really care for it so I skipped it

I haven’t tasted them before so I can’t say how close they are to the real taste. They are sweet like the tutti fruti bread we used get back in India (although that was simpler in taste – this cinnamon and a few other spices) and closer to the cinnamon raisin bread (but much lighter on cinnamon). DH really liked it! The dough is hard to work with and hence hard to shape; which is why you se all the buns so oddly shaped and of various sizes!

I halved the actual recipe which meant there was a little extra yolk than the recipe actually called for. Hard to say what was the impact of that. I also substituted apple juice with orange juice as that is what I had in stock. You can also look at more detailed instructions for the same on their blog. Do not compare their photos with mine!

Ingredients:

BUNS

• 1/8 cup apple juice (I used orange juice)
• 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit (I used cranberries)
• 1/4 cup raisins or dried currants
• 5/8 cups milk, room temperature
• 1 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (save the white for the topping)
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/8 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

TOPPING

• 1 large egg white, reserved from above
• 1 tablespoon milk

ICING (I didn’t do this)

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing

Method:

1. Line a 9” circular pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix the apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm, and the plastic starts to "shrink wrap" itself over the top of the bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Note: If you worry about using plastic wrap in your microwave, simply cover the bowl with a glass lid. I used glass lid here.
3. When the fruit is cool, mix together all of the dough ingredients (including the eggs and the egg yolk from the separated egg); hold out the fruit for the time being. Knead the mixture, using food processor, until the dough is soft and elastic. It'll be very slack, sticking to the bottom of the bowl and your hands as you work with it (greasing your hands helps). Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed.
4. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk. Since it’s cold out here I kept it in the oven.
5. Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A heaped muffin scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. You'll make 6 to 8 buns. Use your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan.
6. Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they've puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns.
8. Bake the buns for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove from the oven, carefully turn the buns out of the pan (they should come out in one large piece), and transfer them to a rack to cool.
9. Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun.