Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Carbalicious: Hot Cross Buns


Hot cross buns, hot cross buns,
One a penny two a penny, hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons,
One a penny two a penny, hot cross buns!
Ingredients:
2 cups warm milk
1 packet yeast
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
5+1 eggs, beaten
6 cups + 1/2 cup white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cream
a few drops of vanilla

Mix the milk, sugar and yeast, and let sit for ten minutes, then add 5 of the beaten eggs and the melted butter.  Next add the flour, salt and spices and mix well with your hands or a dough hook.

Place the sticky dough in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour. 

Sprinkle the dough with the  last 1/4 cup of flour and knead for several minutes. Divide the dough into 24 rolls and place on a cookie sheet in a warm place to rise until double in size. 

Use the  last beaten egg to brush the tops of the rolls before baking at 375 for 15-20 minutes. They should be light golden brown, if you're not sure, err on the side of underdone rather than overdone. 

Remove the buns from the oven to cool. meanwhile, mix the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla to make a sugar glaze. Put the glaze in a plastic baggie and snip one of the bottom corners off the baggie to make a little glaze dispenser. Squeeze the bag and make a cross shape of the glaze on top of each bun. Serve hot!