Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are a type of sweet spiced bun made with currants and leavened with yeast and has a cross marked on the top. If you wish, you can mark the cross with confectioners' frosting. These buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday and during Lent. Bakers hawking their wares would cry: Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns, one ha' penny, two ha' penny, hot cross buns. If you have no daughters, give them to your sons, one ha' penny, two ha' penny, Hot Cross Buns From the New England chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947. Preparation time approximate.

• Ready In: 22 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 3  tablespoons butter, melted
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup milk
• 1  cake yeast, softened in
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 2  eggs
• 3  cups flour, sifted
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 cup currants

Directions

1. Add sugar, butter and salt to milk and cool to lukewarm.
2. Stir in softened yeast and 1 well-beaten egg.
3. Sift flour and cinnamon together, add to liquid with currants and mix well.
4. Cover and let rise until doubled; punch down and shape into large biscuits.
5. Place on a well-greased baking sheet, cover and let rise until doubled.
6. Preheat oven to 400°F.
7. Beat remaining egg and brush tops of buns; cut a cross on each with a very sharp knife.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.