Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns

Miz Helen's Kitchen

Ingredients For The Bun

1/2 cup cooking oil

2 cups milk

1/2 cups Sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons or 1 package Active Dry Yeast

4 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients For The Spice Mix

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon all spice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

Ingredients For The Glaze

1 egg white

1/8 teaspoon milk

Ingredients For The Icing

1 egg white

1 cup powdered sugar (more if needed)

Dash milk

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, mix 2 cups milk, cooking oil, and 1/2 cup sugar mix well. Heat on medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove the pan from the burner and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Pour the cooled milk mixture into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top of the liquid. Add 4 cups flour and mix well. This mixture will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and set in a very warm place until the dough doubles in size, this will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix well

Add the 1/2 cup flour mix to the dough that has doubled in size . Mix and knead the dough until blended.

Turn the dough on to a dough board or a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Let the dough rest.

In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup sugar , the cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg, mix well

Flatten the dough as best you can and generously sprinkle the sugar and spice mix over the dough, then sprinkle some of the raisins.

Fold the dough over and over until the raisins and sugar and spice mix have been folded into the dough.

Repeat this process until all the raisins have been used and most of the sugar and spice mix.

Knead until the dough is fairly smooth, then pinch off golf ball size rolls. Make sure that your fingers have plenty of flour, and roll the ball, then place the seam side down on a well oiled cookie sheet.

Cover the buns with a clean cloth and place in a very warm place for about 45 minutes.

Mix 1 egg white with 1/8 teaspoon milk for the glaze, mix well. Very gently brush the buns with the egg and milk mix.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the baked buns from the cookie sheet onto a rack to cool.

After the buns are cooled, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with the egg white, if it is to thick, use a dash of milk and stir until smooth. Pour the Icing mix into a small zip lock plastic bag and work the mix down to the corner of the bag. Snip the corner of the bag and pipe a cross on each of the buns.

Enjoy and be sure and eat them all on Good Friday!

This recipe is adapted from my Aunt Ann, who was a fabulous cook!