This is one of my favorite Easter traditions — hot cross buns because, of course, I like sweets and bread. I like buns; it’s a good tradition for Good Friday. The history of hot cross buns? Well, they are popular on Good Friday. They are popular in England. They are made to celebrate the Savior’s crucifixion because there is a cross on top of them. I am not a big fan of the symbol of torture, but I like the frosting on the top. They may date back even further than Christ, though — to some Goddess named Eostre (Easter) that the Saxons worshiped. There is folklore connected with the hot cross buns — if you keep one for the whole year, it won’t get moldy. Not likely. If you take it on a ship voyage, it will protect you from sinking. If you give it to someone who is ill, they get well. Not likely either. But, I do like the taste of them. They are good little buns. Oh, and there is a little English nursery rhyme:
Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha’penny, two ha’penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha’penny, Two ha’penny, Hot Cross Buns.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
2 cups milk, scalded
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
3 eggs
4 pkg yeast or 9 tsp. or 3 Tablespoons
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp cinnamon
9 cups white, unbleached bread flour
1-2 cups raisins
Scald milk, stir in sugar, honey, oil, butter, salt. Measure warm water, lukewarm to the touch. Add yeast to warm water. Let stand for about 5 min. to make sure yeast is active. Pour both mixtures into the mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of flour and mix with a dough hook, adding the next 5 cups, one cup at a time, while mixing. Let dough kneed in mixer for 10 minutes. Add raisins, mix in. Remove dough from bowl and place in a huge bowl that has been sprayed with Pam or coated with a little olive oil. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Remove dough, punch down and with a little flour on your hands, form small, golf ball-sized rolls, pulling the dough to make a smooth top on each roll. Place on a large cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Place the rolls about an inch apart. Let rise again until double in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 mins.
Remove from oven, brush on melted butter on the tops.
Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tablespoons milk
Mix, adding more milk for desired consistency
Drizzle icing on top of rolls, forming a cross.
