by Kimberly Smith

Created on: February 19, 2009   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

A Hot Cross Bun is a type of sweet spiced bun made with currants or raisins and leavened with yeast. It has a cross marked on the top, which might be effected in one of several ways including pastry, flour and water mixture, rice paper icing or intersecting cuts.

In many historically Christian countries these buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion.

There is a good amount of time required in making these buns, so they are special no matter what your belief maybe.

Hot Cross Buns

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 eggs

5 cups flour

1 1/3 cups currants or raisins

1 egg white

Glaze

1 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1-2 tablespoons milk

In a small saucepan, heat milk to very warm, but not hot (110 if using a candy thermometer). Pour warm milk in a bowl and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.

Stirring constantly, add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggs. Gradually mix in flour, dough will be wet and sticky. Continue kneading until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowel with plastic wrap and let the dough "rest" for 30 45 minutes.

Knead again until smooth and elastic, for about 3 minutes. Add currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. At this point the dough will still be fairly wet and sticky.

Shape it into a ball and place it into a butter dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator. Excess moisture will be absorbed by the morning.

Let the dough sit at room temperature for about a half-hour.

Line a large baking pan (or pans) with parchment paper (you can lightly grease a baking pan but parchment works better).

Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces by dividing it in half the half again repeating until you have 24 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place on the baking pan about 2" apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hours.

In the meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 400, when the buns have risen take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush each with the egg white and place in the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and continue baking until buns are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack while you whisk together the glaze ingredients. Spoon the glaze over buns in a cross pattern. Serve these warm, if possible.

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