Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns come to us from mediaeval England where they were eaten on Good Friday.

This receipt gives a traditional more flat bun rather than the large, puffy rolls that are generally available in grocery stores and bakeries to-day.

**Ingredients**
1 cake compressed yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 cup milk 1/3 cup corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup melted shortening 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind	1 egg, well beaten 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup candied fruit 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ginger 3 1/2 - 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

**Directions**
Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm water. Measure the milk, corn syrup, salt, shortening and lemon rind into a mixing bowl; heat until the mixture is lukewarm. Beat in the dissolved yeast and the egg; add the raisins. Beat in 2 cups of flour; stir till smooth. Add the remaining flour; mix well. Turn on a floured board, shape into a ball and knead lightly. Place in an oiled bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place till double in bulk (about 2 hours). Turn on a floured board and knead to release gas bubbles. Shape into 18 medium-sized buns; place on an oiled cookie sheet about 2” apart. Cover and again let rise (about 1 hour); with the scissors cut a small cross on the top of each bun. Bake 20-25 minutes in a moderately hot oven. Three minutes before baking is completed, remove and brush with 1 tablespoon of sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons of milk. While still hot, fill the crosses with icing made with icing sugar and hot water.

**Notes**
The basic recipe is from Kate Aitken’s Cookbook published in 1945 by the Montreal Standard newspaper. Cakes of yeast are no longer available so I used two envelopes (8 grams each) of dry yeast. I have had trouble with yeast previously likely because I got things too hot. This time, I used a thermometer to make sure that “lukewarm” was 100ºF and no more. I covered the dough with plastic wrap to let it rise. I warmed the oven to 180ºF, turned the oven off, and let the dough rise there. The cookie sheet measured 12” X 18” I have trouble with stuff like this burning on the bottom, so I put a second cookie sheet (as a heat shield) under the sheet holding the buns. I used 400ºF; but our oven is a bit slow. Perhaps try 380ºF ? I made icing using 1 cup of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of hot milk.

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