Hot Cross Buns

New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 921, 5 April 1957, Page 23

Hot Cross Buns

n'¢ OU may like to practise these beforehand. If so, just leave out the cross. They really are quite simple to make -it is the leaving to rise which makes it seem complicated. They should be cooked quickly in a good hot oven and taken out directly they are cooked. (1) One pound flour, 34 oz. yeast, 1 level teaspoon powdered cinnamon, 2 oz. mixed candied peel, 2 oz. sultanas, pinch salt, 2 tablespoons castor sugar, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, 2 oz. butter, 2 oz. currants, Y pint milk, 1 egg. Sift flour with salt and spice, rub in butter and add prepared fruit and sugar, keeping back half a teaspoon of sugar to mix with yeast. Mix sugar and yeast till liquid, then stir in luke-warm milk. Strain this mixture into centre of dry ingredients, make into soft dough, adding also beaten egg. Divide into smali portions, shape into buns, put on greased slide. Mark with a cross, leave to rise until twice the size. Bake in hot oven, brush over with sugar and milk, and return to oven for 2 minutes. (2) One cup scalded milk, 4% cup shortening or butter, 4% cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon stigar, 2 tablespoons luke-warm water, 4% package of yeast (or % oz. dried yeast), 1 egg (beaten), 34 cup seedless raisins, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, % teaspoon allspice, 31% to 4 cups flour (sifted), .a little melted fat, 1 egg white slightly beaten. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cool to luke-warm. Mix the 1 teaspoon sugar with the luke-warm water and sprinkle the yeast in it. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes till dissolved, then stir and add to the milk, with the egg, raisins, cinnamon and spice, and as much flour as can be stirred into the dough-roughly 314 cups. Place in clean greased bowl, brush over with melted fat, cover with towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, Then turn on to lightly floured board and knead for one minute. Shape into little two-inch balls and arrange side by side on a greased oven slide. Snip a deep cross in each bun with greased scissors. Brush with egg-white, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Bake in hot oven (425 degrees or regulo 7) approximately 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. This should make 16 buns. You may add a little finely chopped candied peel with the milk and egg.