Hot Cross Buns

One a penny, two a penny...This is my family's traditional recipe; we use mashed potatoes to change the texture and flavor. I don't care for citron (candied fruit), so I make my HCB with raisins alone.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 32 buns

Ingredients

• Buns

• 2  packages  yeast
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup  warm milk
• 3⁄4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2  eggs
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1⁄2 cups raisins (or 1 1/2 cup mixed raisins and citron)
• 4 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1  egg yolk

• Icing

• 1  cup powdered sugar
• 1  tablespoon milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Combine yeast, water, and milk; stir well.
2. Mix with, potatoes, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and raisins.
3. Beat in flour by cups.
4. Knead 5 minutes.
5. Let rise 1 1/2 hours.
6. Punch down and divide in half 5 times, for 32 pieces of dough.
7. Fold the corners in to make balls.
8. Snip a cross onto the top of each ball.
9. Let rise for 40 minutes.
10. Brush with egg yolk and water.
11. Bake 20 minutes at 375.
12. While the buns are baking, combine milk, sugar, and vanilla to make icing.
13. When buns are cool, drizzle icing over cross.