One of the things I really miss, living so far from home, is being
able to participate in some of our family traditions, especially around
the holidays.
Being half Italian and half Polish
means I participated in a plethora of traditions growing up, most of
them food related. While I would love to follow the same traditions
here, we are only a family of 4 and would most likely turn into a family
of Weebles if, for example, a pan of lasagna showed up on the table for every holiday in addition to the main course.
So while I don't have pans and pans and pans of rising Babka
dough locked away in my bedroom on Good Friday, we do always make these
Hot Cross Buns. They really are easy to do and both kids love them.
Madeleine has already asked if it was almost time to make those buns she
loves so much. Looks like one family tradition has been carried
forward.
Who knows, maybe I'll also drag out my pizzelle iron that is gathering dust downstairs. Wouldn't be an Italian celebration without a giant tray full of them!
Hot Cross Buns
King Arthur Flour
Yield: 1 dozen
Buns
1/4 cup apple juice or rum
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup raisins or dried currants
1 1/4 cups milk -- room temperature
3 large eggs -- 1 separated
6 tablespoons butter -- room temperature
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup light brown sugar -- firmly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
1 large egg white -- reserved from above
1 tablespoon milk
Icing
1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
4 teaspoons milk -- or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing
Lightly grease a 10" square pan or 9" x 13" pan.
Mix
the rum or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover with
plastic wrap, and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are
very warm. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
When the fruit
is cool, mix together all of the dough ingredients except the fruit, and
knead, using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the dough is soft
and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed.
Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.
Divide
the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A
heaped muffin scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. Use
your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the
prepared pan.
Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour,
or until they've puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough
is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns.
Bake the buns for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.
Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun.
