Hot Cross Buns
There is a legend that if you give a friend Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday that they will be your friend for life. Hot Cross Buns are a very popular Easter Bread in the United Kingdom. The eating of little breads and cakes during the Spring Festival or the Easter season dates back to the ancient Greeks. The English Hot Cross Bun, a very special spiced bun with little dried fruit, was made and ate only on Good Friday, Christmas or Burial Meals. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, it was forbidden to make or eat the buns except on Good Friday, Christmas or Burial Meals. The Bun is always marked with a cross by cutting in the cross on the dough or piping the cross with icing on the baked bun. The cross marking is in remembrance of Christ.
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
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!
Heat The Oil, Sugar and Milk
The Dough Will Be Sticky
Flatten, Sprinkle With Sugar and Spice Adding Raisins
Fold Over and Over Until All The Raisins Are Gone
Bake Then Cool The Buns
Mix The Icing
Pipe The Cross On Each Bun
Serve On Any Special Occasion
Enjoy!
No matter what occasion you serve Hot Cross Buns, I sure hope you enjoy them. Thanks so much for stopping by to visit with me today I always look forward to your visits. Have a wonderful week and come back to see me real soon!
Peace and Joy,
Older Post
These look so wonderful! Hot cross buns always remind me of springtime and Easter when I used to live in England. I'll have to make some at home one of these Easters! Yours look so delicious, thanks for the sweet reminder! :) Hope you have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteWoww Miz Helen - these look FANTASTIC !!
ReplyDeleteYou probably know how much I love to bake with yeast, and I just love these buns.
I like this legend ...:)
These sounds great!
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen...I don't see the flour in your ingredient list for the buns.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I just didn't get it in there, thank you so much for bringing that to my attention, I have corrected it. Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have a great day!
DeleteMiz Helen
Yes Mam. I'm going to try these. Love your tutes! :)
DeleteHelen, I love the milk glass dish your buns are in. The buns look good too. Thanks for sharing the history lesson.
ReplyDeleteLinda
I think of the kid's nursery rhyme, "One a penny, 2 a penny hot cross buns." I never realized they were only for special occasions. Really neat history. So glad you made these.
ReplyDeleteOo, thank you for sharing this recipe! I think this would be a wonderful Easter treat to share with my kids, while giving them a reminder of Christ.
ReplyDeleteone of my all time faves...these look so good!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Pinned to my Easter board.
ReplyDeleteSo delicious!! Your pictures are amazing. Blessed Easter! I am your newest follower!
ReplyDeleteThese look great Miz Helen - thanks for linking to MM tonight with the recipe! Pinned!
ReplyDeleteoh nom nom nom look so delish!!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Marvelous Mondays. I love hot cross buns, they are always a favourite of mine at Easter especially fresh from the oven. I co-host Sweet and Savoury Sunday and would for you to stop by and share these and other recipes with us. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteDear Miz Helen, These hot cross buns look perfect. I have been craving these for some time now. With Holy Week upon us I will give them a try. Many Blessings to you, Catherine xo
ReplyDeleteI like your version of hot cross buns, Miz Helen. It would be great if you added them to the Food on Friday: Easter Foods collection. Cheers from Carole's Chatter
ReplyDeleteYummy! Thanks for linking up to Tasty Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious! Thanks for sharing at Mix it up Monday :)
ReplyDeleteYum! I love this recipe. I would love to give these as a gift to my friends...I'd like to keep them for life :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Mmmmmmmm...it's been a long time since I had Hot Cross Buns. Please, pass me one! ♥
ReplyDeleteThese are so beautiful, Miz Helen! I always tell myself I should try making hot cross buns, every Easter, but I never seem to have the time. Thank you so much for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteI want to try these, Miz Helen! I've never had Hot Cross Buns - but i love making homemade bread! Thanks so much for sharing at Freedom Fridays! :)
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to try making hot cross buns. Thank you for sharing with Hump Day Happenings, Miz Helen!
ReplyDeleteI have to confess, I have never eaten a hot cross bun. These look delicious though. Perhaps this Easter will be my first year to try them! Thanks for sharing this great recipe at the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party!
ReplyDeleteYour hot cross buns look beautiful, Miz Helen. They are indeed very popular here in the UK and it's lovely that you shared some of their history in this post as well. Thank you for sharing this delicious traditional treat with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Easter :-)
ReplyDeleteI loved learning about the history of these buns. Thanks for sharing on Hump Day Happenings!
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to try hot cross buns, so thanks for the story and recipe! Also, thanks so much for featuring my Peeps treats! I didn't add a link this week (too crazy around here) so I just saw this. Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteI love these! This recipe is a keeper! Have a very happy and blessed Easter, Miz Helen! xo
ReplyDeleteWhile I know of Hot Cross Buns because of the rhyme, I've never actually eaten them. I also didn't know the history behind them. The spice mix looks really good. Thank you for linking this week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful recipe and story!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - You've been featured at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy this week!
Hot cross buns looks delicious thanks for sharing with Hearth and Soul blog hop. I am highlighting this recipe today.
ReplyDeleteI have never made Hot Cross Buns. You have inspired me! :-) Thanks for linking up with "Try a New Recipe Tuesday." Hope you can join us again this week. http://our4kiddos.blogspot.com/2014/04/try-new-recipe-tuesday-april-22.html
ReplyDeleteI love hot cross buns; I have pinned to try soon!
ReplyDeleteHot Cross Buns have always been an Easter favourite of mine and I just know your home baked ones will be extra special.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring your hot cross buns at tomorrow's party and pinning too.
Happy Easter,
Kerryanne
These look delicious! I am visiting from House on Silverado.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never hard got cross buns. I’ll have to make some.
ReplyDelete