Hot cross buns.

After reading about these pretty treats over Easter, I decided to try them for myself. I’ve never had hot cross buns, but my grandma said she used to buy them every Easter and loves them.

I followed the Pioneer Woman’s recipe {found here and copied below} and she definitely does a better job with the pictures than I do, so check out her blog if you’re making these. Here’s some pictures I took during my attempt. {PS note to self: don’t multi-task while trying to make these! My visiting with Grandma & mom, doing dishes, frying eggs, and looking at blogs online didn’t serve me too well! lol!}

This is my milk, oil, and sugar on the stove.

What mine looked like after getting to the point just before scalding.

Adding my yeast.

Mixing it.

Working on the layers of cinnamon, sugar, raisins. Fold together, do it again. Rinse and repeat {just kidding.}

Form your rolls and pinch the bottoms so that they’re all covered nice and pretty by the dough.

 

Brush on the egg white mixture.

Make up the icing, put in a zip lock bag to create the “cross” on the buns. {I did a variant of the icing, but I’m sure the Pioneer Woman's is the best...oh, I love reading her blog btw: http://thepioneerwoman.com/confessions/}

She warns that you have to let them cool completely before icing. Pretty buns! They were quite tasty…I think I’ll keep the recipe for another time. :)

Yesterday evening, I met with a bride-to-be and her mother. I’m their church coordinator. After that, Eugene and I went to Young’s for some cookie dough and cookies and cream ice cream and hitting golf balls on the range with our small group. It was fun, but the stomach ache we both have from the uncertainty looming definitely is a cloud over everything. Annoying thing! Oh well, we’ll see where we’re taken next!

Hot Cross Buns

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 18

Ingredients

• Buns
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• ½ cups Canola Oil
• ½ cups Sugar
• 1 package (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups (additional) Flour
• ½ teaspoons (heaping) Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons (scant) Baking Soda
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• ¼ cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Spices: Cardamom, Nutmeg, Allspice (optional)
• ½ cups Raisins
• GLAZE
• 1 whole Egg White
• Splash Of Milk
• Icing
• 1 whole Egg White
• Powdered Sugar
• Splash Of Milk

Preparation Instructions

BUNS

Combine 2 cups milk, canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until mixture is still warm, but not hot–about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and stir to combine. Mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour.

Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir till combined.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and whatever other spices you want to use.

Lightly flour surface. Press to slightly flatten dough. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. 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 until all the raisins are used. (You won’t use all the sugar/cinnamon mixture.)

Pinch off ping pong or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll it into a ball, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes…an hour-plus is better.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 degrees

GLAZE

Mix 1 egg white with a splash of milk. Brush onto each roll.

Bake for 20 minutes, give or take, or until tops of buns have turned nice and golden brown.

Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

ICING

Mix 1 egg white with enough powdered sugar for icing to be very thick. Splash in milk as needed for consistency.

Add icing to a small Ziploc bag and snip the corner. Make icing crosses on each roll, making sure they’re completely cooled first.