Spice Up Your Easter with Homemade Hot Cross Buns: A Delicious and Festive Treat!

Hot cross buns are a delicious Easter tradition that is enjoyed around the world. They are soft, spiced, and studded with raisins or currants, and topped with a sweet glaze. In this recipe blog post, we will show you how to make hot cross buns from scratch.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup raisins or currants
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 2 eggs

For the cross:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
2. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in the raisins or currants.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yeast and warm milk until the yeast is dissolved.
5. Add the yeast mixture and eggs to the flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
6. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
7. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
8. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
9. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12-15 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place them on a greased baking sheet.
10. Cover the buns with a clean towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
11. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water to make a paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag and pipe a cross onto each bun.
12. Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
13. In a separate bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the buns while they are still warm.

Tips:

• For a spicier flavor, you can add more cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough.
• You can substitute the raisins or currants with chopped dried apricots, cranberries, or cherries.
• These hot cross buns are best served warm with a dollop of butter.

In conclusion, hot cross buns are a delightful Easter treat that is perfect for sharing with friends and family. With this easy-to-follow recipe, you can make delicious hot cross buns from scratch and impress your guests with your baking skills