Raising up tradition
Hot cross buns complete Easter breakfast
According to legend, a 14th century English monk made the first hot cross buns on Good Friday. They became the symbol of Easter and it wasn’t long before all of England was munching on them along with a nice cuppa tea. But the first written record of the hot cross bun comes from a 1733 text that reads: “Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs, with one or two a penny hot cross buns.”
Queen Elizabeth I declared that hot cross buns were such a sacred symbol that they could only be made and sold on Good Friday and Christmas.
Many stories are attached to hot cross buns, like the belief that if you bake them on Good Friday, they won’t get moldy during the coming year, or if the buns are given to the sick, they would be cured.
The cross atop the bun is symbolic of the crucified Christ.
What we can say for sure is that these endearing sweet little buns, filled with currants and candied orange peel and flavored with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, coriander, ginger and cloves are simply delicious, easy to make and are perfect for Easter morning breakfast.
HOT CROSS BUNS
1 package active dry yeast ¼ c. warm (110ºF) water ½ c. warm (110ºF) milk 3 large eggs, at room
temperature
4½-5 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon ¼ t. ground nutmeg ¼ t. ground allspice ¼ t. ground cloves
1½ t. salt
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted
butter, softened
In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and mix with a spoon until the yeast dissolves. Let the mixture ferment for about 5 minutes. Small clusters of chalky-looking bubbles should appear on the surface. Stir in the milk. With a fork, beat in the eggs one at a time. Set the mixture aside.
In a food processor, mix together 4½ cups of the flour with the spices, sugar and salt. Break up the butter over the dry ingredients and work it in until a crumbly mixture is obtained. Add the yeast mixture and mix until a ball of dough is formed. Add additional flour if necessary to obtain a dough that is soft but not too sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it for 3 to 4 minutes, until a smooth ball of dough forms. Let the dough rest on the work surface for 10 minutes, covered with a towel or inverted bowl.
Knead the dough again for 5 minutes, until smooth and no longer sticky.
Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking oil spray or lightly coat with butter. Gather up the dough, place it in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, 2 to 2½ hours.
When the dough has risen to approximately two times its size, use two fingers to make two indentations into the center of it. If the indentations do not close up, the dough is sufficiently risen and ready to use.
Break off pieces the size of small oranges and form into balls. Place them on lightly greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 375degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned.
Cool on a wire rack. Make a confectioners icing using 1 cup confectioners sugar and 3-4 tablespoons half and half. Mix until smooth; then make a decorative cross on top of the buns. Makes at least 1½ dozen.