Hot Cross Buns Food

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.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Measure the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and lemon zest into a large mixing bowl or into the work bowl of a food processor.
• Heat milk to boiling in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Remove from heat and add the butter.
• Stir until the butter is melted.
• Stir in the eggs.
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, and process or mix with an electric mixer until the dough is smooth but soft, about 2 minutes.
• Mix in the raisins, almonds, and candied fruits.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Turn the dough out onto an oiled surface.
• Dust the dough with flour and knead to express air bubbles.
• Divide the dough into 16 equal parts.
• Shape each into a round ball.
• Place the balls of dough, smooth side up, about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Let rise in a warm place, lightly covered, until almost doubled, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Brush the tops of the buns with the egg glaze.
• Slash a cross in the center of each bun with a sharp knife.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
• While the buns bake, mix the icing ingredients in a small bowl.
• Place the icing into a pastry bag with a small tip.
• Slide the parchment onto the counter top to cool or transfer the rolls onto a wire rack to cool.
• Pipe the icing into the shape of a cross on top of each bun.
• Serve warm.
• Makes 16 buns.
• Beatrice Ojakangas.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and 2 cups flour. Beat vigorously for two minutes. Add the currants and lemon peel and stir to combine. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide into 24 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and put into two well-seasoned 9 by 12-inch baking pans. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Just before baking, cut a cross into the top of each bun. Combine the milk and sugar for the glaze and brush lightly over the top of the buns.Bake for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the buns reach 190 degrees. Immediately remove buns from pans and cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.In a glass measuring cup with a pouring lip, combine the confectioners' sugar with lemon juice and enough heavy cream to reach the consistency of honey. Use to pour into the cross on the top of each bun. Bread Basket method follows.
• Bread Basket: To shape a basket of bread "eggs" Divide the dough in half. Return 1/2 the dough to the rising bowl and cover with a towel until needed. Divide the other piece of dough into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a 26-inch strand. Twist the strands together. Lightly grease the bottom of an oven-proof bowl or pan with no handles (I have a Pyrex bowl that measures about 8 inches across the top and is about 4 inches deep that works perfectly) and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Loosely coil the twisted strands around the beginning with where the pan and bowl meet. Continue until you get to the center of the bowl bottom. If you have too much dough left, pinch it off to use when making the "eggs." Take the remaining dough and divide it evenly into golf-ball sized pieces. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Cover dough with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Just before baking, lightly brush breads with glaze. Sprinkle the basket with nonpareils if desired.Bake for 25 minutes, basket, and "eggs" for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the breads reach 190 degrees. Immediately remove breads from baking sheet and cool on a rack. To serve the bread basket and "eggs": Once the bread has cooled, pour the icing glaze over the eggs --scrape up what runs off and use it again. Let the glaze set, about 15 minutes. Decorate the "eggs" with decorator's icing. Allow time for the icing to set so they can be placed in the bread basket without smudging. Put dyed coconut (in a plastic bag, shake 3 cups shredded coconut with 2 or 3 tablespoons green food coloring until well coated -- spread coconut on waxed paper to dry for about 30 minutes) into the basket. If the top edge of your basket isn't pretty, you can use some of the icing glaze to paint the edge to hold coconut in place to hide the edge. Place the "eggs" in the basket and serve.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• For the buns: Combine the milk, canola oil and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until the mixture is still warm but not hot, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Add 4 cups of the flour and stir to combine; the mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour.
• Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 1/2 cup flour to the dough. Stir until combined.
• Combine the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl with the cinnamon and whatever other spices you want to use.
• Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough onto it. Press to slightly flatten the dough. Sprinkle a third of the sugar/cinnamon mixture over it. Sprinkle on about a third of the raisins. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is "plain" again. Repeat the sugar/raisin process, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pinch off Ping-Pong- or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll them into balls, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes....an hour plus is better.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the glaze: Mix the egg white with a splash of milk. Brush onto the balls of dough.
• Bake until the tops of the buns have turned nice and golden brown, 20 minutes give or take. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.
• For the icing: Mix the egg white with enough powdered sugar for the icing to be very thick. Splash in the milk as needed for consistency.
• When the buns are completely cool, add the icing to a small ziptop bag and snip the corner. Make icing crosses on each bun.
• Happy Easter!

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 - BREAD MACHINE

Steps:

• Put all ingredients except fruit into bread machine.
• Set for dough.
• Add fruit at signal.
• Lightly oil 9x13 pan.
• When dough is ready, remove and punch down.
• Cut into 18-24 pieces.
• Roll each into a ball.
• Place balls 1/2" apart in pan.
• Cover and rise in warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
• Cut cross into top with sharp knife.
• Bake 12-15 minutes @ 375.
• Make glaze adding sugar or milk to make consistency to drizzle but not run.
• Let rolls cool slightly and drizzle icing in cuts.

CHEF JOHN'S HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Place currants in a small bowl. Heat rum until steaming in a small pan and pour over currants to soften them, about 2 hours. Drain; reserve liquid for another use.
• Whisk warm milk, 1/4 cup flour, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit about 15 minutes to ensure yeast is active; small bubbles should start to rise to the surface. Add sugar, beaten egg, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, melted butter, and most of the remaining flour (you might not need it all). Mix with a dough hook attachment until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes slightly elastic, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue kneading until dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove dough from dough hook and shape into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• Flatten dough into a large oval about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle currants evenly over surface of dough. Fold dough into thirds. Turn and fold into thirds again. Reshape dough into a round ball. Transfer to lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place until double in size, about 2 hours.
• Poke dough down a bit with your fingertips. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Flatten out dough into an even shape. Divide into 16 equal pieces using a bench scraper.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
• Roll each piece of dough into a round ball. Arrange evenly on prepared baking sheet. Let rise 15 minutes.
• Mix 1/4 cup water and 1/3 cup flour together in a mixing bowl until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to pipe. Transfer mixture to a piping bag.
• After buns have risen 15 minutes, pipe a cross on top of each. Let rise until doubled from original dough balls, another 15 or 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Transfer pan to preheated oven. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to thicken, or until it reaches a temperature of 225 degrees F. Remove from heat.
• Let buns cool on a rack for 5 minutes before glazing. Brush glaze lightly over the tops of the buns.

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.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Mix the yeast with one tablespoon of the sugar and all of the milk in a small bowl. Whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Cover the bowl and stand in a warm place for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is frothy.
• Sift the flour, spices and salt into a large bowl; rub in the butter with your fingertips, until the butter is thoroughly distributed.
• Stir in the remaining sugar, fruit, yeast mixture, egg and the water to make a soft dough.
• Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for about one hour or until mixture is doubled in size.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Divide the dough into 18 portions and roll each into a ball.
• Place the balls, almost touching, on a large greased oven tray. Stand in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until dough is almost doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C or 200°C if fan-forced.
• FOR THE FLOUR PASTE: Sift flour and sugar into a small bowl; gradually stir in enough water to make a smooth thick paste. Place the Flour Paste into a resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner. Pipe crosses onto the buns.
• Bake the buns for about 15 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped.
• Transfer the buns to a wire rack and brush the tops with the Glaze.
• FOR THE GLAZE: Combine the glaze ingredients until the sugar and gelatine are dissolved.
• Hot cross buns are best eaten the day or next day from baking. Can be frozen.

EASY HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the salt, mixed spice and sugar.
• Rub in the butter with your fingertips. Stir in the dried fruit, then sprinkle over the yeast and stir in. Gently warm the milk so it is hot, but still cool enough to put your finger in for a couple of seconds. Beat with the eggs, then pour into the dried ingredients.
• Using a blunt knife, mix the ingredients to a moist dough, then leave to soak for 5 mins. Take out of the bowl and cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
• Shape the dough into buns on a floured surface. Space apart on a baking sheet, cover loosely with cling film, then leave in a warm place until half again in size. This will take 45 mins-1 hr 15 mins, depending on how warm the room is.
• When the buns are risen, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Mix the flour with 2 tbsp water to make a paste. Pour into a plastic food bag and make a nick in one of the corners. Pipe crosses on top of each bun.
• Bake for 12-15 mins until risen and golden. Trim the excess cross mixture from the buns , then brush all over with honey or golden syrup. The buns will keep fresh for a day. After that they are best toasted and served with butter.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Mix yeast, sugar and scalded cooled down milk and water together and set aside till yeast starts to bubble.
• In mixer mix shortening and sugar together and add one egg at a time mixing in completely before adding another egg. Mix well after last egg.
• Sift 6 cups of flour into separate bowl.
• Mix 3 cups of flour into the yeast mixture, mix till smooth.
• Add Raisins.
• Add shortening, sugar and egg mixture.
• Take one cup of flour and add salt and cinnamon to it and mix it into dough. (To stop the cinnamon from lumping up in the dough).
• Knead in remaining cups of flour till dough is smooth.
• Place in greased bowl and allow to rise until double in size.
• Form buns then using clean scissors snip a cross into the tops of each bun.
• Beat egg yolk and water together and brush over tops of each bun.
• Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.
• When cooked and cooled use piping bag and form cross with your favorite white icing.