Hot Cross Buns

 I first shared this recipe for Easter 2012 and am reposting them for Flashback Friday since Easter is only a week away!  My Mom made them every Easter  and we ate them still warm from the oven on Thursday before Good Friday.  If there were any left...they would be our breakfast on Good Friday.

These lightly spiced buns are soft and moist and perfect with a hot cup of tea.

This is a smaller batch.  It would make 24 buns in 2 9X13 pans...or  you can make part of the dough into small loaves which you can slice up.  It toasts up wonderfully.

• 5 teaspoons yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups candied diced fruit and citrus peel (sometimes called Glace Cake Mix) found in the baking aisle
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour

1. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar and warm water and allow to sit for 10 minutes until the yeast has puffed up.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk and butter until the butter begins to melt. 
3. Add the sugar and the eggs to the yeast mixture and the milk and butter after.  (Be sure not to add very hot milk to the yeast and egg mixture.  It should be warm but not hot to touch.
4. Mix 1 cup of the flour with the candied fruit and stir well.
5. Add several cups of flour and the nutmeg and vanilla to the liquid ingredients and then add the fruit. 
6. Knead until it forms a ball.  Don't over knead.  It should come together but it will still be sticky because of the fruit.  Knead using a bit of additional flour for a few minutes.
7. Put into a large bowl where it can double in size.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise.
8. Once it has doubled, form into buns and place them in greased pans.  Take a very sharp knife and cut an X across each bun. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until doubled and very light.
9. Preheat oven to 325 Convection or 350 F regular bake and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix honey glaze in microwave safe bowl: 

• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. water

1. Microwave for 1 minute.
2. Brush over buns.
3. Pipe your favorite butter icing across each bun in the X's. 





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