Hot Crossed Buns

Submitted by GingerlyJ

"This recipe has been in my family at least a Hundred years. I remember every Easter as a little Girl my Gram having these ready when we woke up."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 25mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 24 Buns
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• 236.59 ml milk
• 29.58 ml yeast
• 118.29 ml sugar
• 9.85 ml salt
• 78.78 ml butter, melted and cooled
• 4.92 ml cinnamon
• 2.46 ml nutmeg
• 4 eggs
• 1182.95 ml flour
• 315.37 ml currants or 315.37 ml raisins
• 1 egg white
• 315.37 ml confectioners' sugar
• 7.39 ml finely chopped lemon zest
• 2.46 ml lemon extract
• 14.79-29.58 ml milk

directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat milk to very warm, but not hot (110°F if using a candy thermometer). Fit an electric mixer with a dough hook. Pour warm milk in the bowl of mixer and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. With mixer running at low speed, add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Gradually add flour, dough will be wet and sticky, and continue kneading with dough hook until smooth, about 5 minutes. Detach bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough "rest" for 30-45 minutes.
3. Return bowl to mixer and knead until smooth and elastic, for about 3 more minutes. Add currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. At this point, dough will still be fairly wet and sticky. Shape dough in a ball, place in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator (see note at right if you're in a hurry). Excess moisture will be absorbed by the morning.
4. Let dough sit at room temperature for about a half-hour. Line a large baking pan (or pans) with parchment paper (you could also lightly grease a baking pan, but parchment works better). Divide dough into 24 equal pieces (in half, half again, etc., etc.). Shape each portion into a ball and place on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
5. In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 400° F.
6. When buns have risen, take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush them with egg white and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F, then Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together glaze ingredients, and spoon over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm, if possible.

Reviews

[Beth-boyardee]

I have been looking for this recipe ever since my grandma passed on and her hot crossed bun recipe was lost to the ages. I made these hoping that they were close to the ones she made. Sure enough they were spot on. These are not hard to make and are so much better than the ones you can buy in the grocery during the Easter season. The only change I would. suggest is not cutting the crosses in the dough, as it tends to deflate the rolls. Awesome taste!