Easter time! I picked out a couple Easter desserts to try. Second up was hot cross buns, and this recipe pulled me in from the picture.
Of course, all hot cross buns have raisons in them. Eew. I will never like them, never. Soooo I chose chocolate chips instead! Honey is one thing that I’ve never worked with. So I went and bought the smallest one at the store. If I didn’t like it, I didn’t want it to sit around forever. After tasting these buns I was in!
Yeast in warm water
Milk, butter and honey
Add to yeast mixture and add cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs.
After one cup of flour
After two cups of flour
After third cup of flour
After fourth cup of flour
This is where I added the chocolate chips so they wouldn’t melt. Kneaded it into the dough
Separate 24 balls of dough and place into greased pan
Baked first round
Glazed with honey and baked for a few more minutes
Frosting glaze
Honey-soaked hot cross buns
Homesick Texan
Ingredients for buns:
- 1 package of dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water plus 2 tablespoons of water
- 3/4 cup of milk
- ½ cup of butter (one stick)
- 2 tablespoons of honey, plus more for glazing
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup raisins or currants
- 4 cups of flour (plus more if dough is too wet)
Ingredients for frosting:
- 1 cup confectioner sugar
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Method:
Combine dry yeast and 1/4 cup warm water.
Warm over low the milk, butter, salt and 2 tablespoons of honey until the butter has melted. (Do not let it come to a boil!) Add to yeast mixture.
Whisk in cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs into the mixture. Add 2/3 cup raisins and slowly add the flour, one cup at a time.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for five minutes until the dough is smooth and resilient.
Let rise covered in greased bowl until double.Then punch down the dough and divide into 24 balls and place, sides touching, in a greased and floured 13x9x2 pan and let rise again. With a sharp knife, cut crosses into each bun.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
Glaze with honey (as much or as little as you like) and bake five minutes more. Meanwhile, stir together the confectioner sugar, the honey and the two tablespoons of water to make the frosting. When you take the buns out of the oven, cool for 10 minutes, then cross each bun with the frosting.
Makes 24
(Notes: You can substitute the raisins or currants with dried blueberries, cherries or even chocolate chips. Chopped nuts also make a tasty addition. I also like to add lemon zest and a bit of vanilla to the frosting.
