Hot Cross Buns Recipe

YIELD: 16 Buns

INGREDIENTS

Flour - 4 Cups

Dry Yeast - 1/2 oz

Granulated Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 1/4 Tsp

Cinnamon - 1/2 Tsp

Evaporated Milk - 12 oz (Warm)

Egg - 1 Large

Shortening - 2 oz

Currants - 2 oz

Raisins - 2 oz

Mixed Fruit - 4 oz

Brown Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Water - 1/2 Cup

Mixed Essence - 1 Tbsp

Vanilla Bean - 1 (or 1 tbsp Vanilla Essence)

Bay Leaf - 1

Icing Sugar - 1 1/3 Cup

Whole Milk - 2 oz

METHOD

Sift together flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Add yeast and mix well. Set aside.
Heat milk until warm and add egg.
Cut shortening into flour mixture.
Add fruit and mix well.
Add milk mixture.
Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rest for 1 hour.
Punch down dough.
Shape equal pieces of dough into buns and place on greased baking sheet.
Cover with a warm cloth and let rest one hour.
For glaze, add brown sugar, water, vanilla, mixed essence and bay leaf to a pot and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until all the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat once reduced to half.
Mix icing sugar and milk until a thick paste forms. Put in refrigerator to cool.
Bake buns at 325°F for 20 minutes.
Remove buns from oven and brush on glaze while hot.
Let cool for 15-20 minutes before crosses are made.