Celtic Homemade Hot Cross Buns Food

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar and flour over the surface of the liquid. Set aside without stirring, until foamy and rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
• Whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick, shaggy, and slightly sticky dough. Stir in currants. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes. (If you have a marker, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time to help you keep track.)
• To form the rolls: Butter a 9 by 14-inch baking pan. Turn the dough out of the bowl and pat into a rectangle about 16 by 8 inches. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 2 ounces each, with a pizza wheel or bench scraper. (If you don't have a scale, divide the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut each of those four sections into 3 equal-sized rolls.)
• Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan, leaving a little space in between each roll. Cover the pan with buttered plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg. Bake rolls until golden brown and puffy, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the rolls registers 190 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• For the glaze: Stir together confectioners' sugar, milk, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Transfer icing to a zip bag or pastry bag, and make a small cut in the corner of the bag. Ice buns in a thick cross shape over the top of the warm buns.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet (quarter baking sheet) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• For the buns: Combine the raisins with the hot water and set aside so the raisins rehydrate and plump.
• Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in the yeast to dissolve. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, softened butter, eggs and yolk and orange zest. Stir to combine.
• Using the dough hook, knead for 7 minutes on medium-low speed. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is translucent when a small bit is stretched out with your fingers, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Drain the raisins and add them to the bowl along with the apple and knead until the dough is soft and elastic and the raisins and apple are evenly dispersed, about 2 minutes longer.
• Lightly butter a large glass bowl. Scrape the dough into the bowl and cover with either plastic wrap or a clean dish cloth. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour. It will become puffy, but it's ok if it doesn't double in size.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 15 parts. Using floured hands, form each part into a ball. Due to the raisins and apple, the ball won't be completely smooth, but that's ok. Add each ball to the lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the buns to rise a second time until they're touching and look bloated and puffy, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the paste: Whisk together the flour and water in a small bowl until there are no lump. Spoon the paste into a piping bag fitted with a plain small to medium tip. (The batter will be runny.) Pipe a cross on each bun.
• Bake until the buns are golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
• For the honey butter: While the buns are baking, stir the melted butter and honey together in a small bowl. Once the buns are golden brown, remove them from the oven and brush the tops with the honey butter.
• Carefully lift the parchment paper or baking mat and transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely (or enjoy warm, if you're like me and you can't wait!).

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

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

TRADITIONAL HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
• Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg and 3 cups of flour; beat until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Stir in the currants, raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.
• Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down; shape into 30 balls.
• Place on greased baking sheets.
• Cut a cross on top of each roll with a sharp knife.
• Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Beat water and egg yolk; brush over rolls.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
• Cool on wire racks.
• For icing, combine sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over rolls.

CELTIC HOMEMADE HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour with the yeast and cinnamon.
• Heat milk, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until warm; stir constantly. Remove from heat and beat for 3 minutes at high speed. Add all at once to the flour mixture, along with the eggs. Beat at low speed for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 more minutes at high speed. Stir in currants and as much of remaining flour as possible.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough of remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat surface. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot. Let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 18 pieces and form each into a smooth ball. Place on a greased baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover; let rise until nearly double (30 to 45 minutes).
• With a sharp knife, cut a cross (to represent either the cross of Christ, the sun, or the combination of male and female energies) onto each. Brush tops of each bun with some of the slightly beaten egg white (reserve remaining white).
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, dash of salt, and the reserved egg white. Add more milk if necessary to give it piping consistency. Pipe crosses on top of buns with a pastry decorator.