Hot Cross Buns!

It is Lent. And that means that it is Hot Cross Buns season.

I make my Mom's recipe and the result is always spot on.

I make 1/2 the recipe as there are just the two of us.

I will make these again in a week or two because now I have extra evaporated milk in the fridge.

I started the recipe at 8 pm and was done by 11:30 pm. Next time I may start the dough either the night before or that morning before work.

My Mom's Hot Cross Buns Recipe -

Ingredients-

2 envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup seedless raisins

4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Lemon Icing (recipe at the end)

Lemon Icing - Blend 1 cup unsifted confectioners powdered sugar with 4 teaspoons of milk, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract in a small ball. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Method-

1. Sprinkle yeast into warm water in a large bowl. ("warm" water should feel comfortably warm when dropped on the wrist.) Stir until yeast dissolves.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in evaporated milk, sugar, and salt until sugar dissolves; stir into yeast mixture.

3. Beat eggs in a small bowl; stir into yeast mixture with raisins,

4. Sift 2 cups of the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the yeast mixture; beat until smooth, then stir in just enough of the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour to make a soft dough.

5. Turn out onto a lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, adding only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking.

6. Place in a greased bowl; brush top lightly with butter; cover with a clean towel. Let rise in a warm place, away from draft, 1 hour, or until double in bulk.

7. Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured board; cut into 18 equal size pieces. Shape each lightly into a ball; place in a greased baking pan, 13 x 9 x 2.

8. Cover with a clean towel; let rise in a warm place, away from draft, for 45 minutes, or until double in bulk.

9. Bake in a moderate oven (375˚) for 30 minutes, or until golden brown; remove pan; cool on a wire rack.

10. Make Lemon Icing; drizzle from the tip of a knife or spoon over buns to make crosses.

11. Lemon Icing - Blend 1 cup of unsifted confectioners powdered sugar with 4 teaspoons of milk, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract in a small ball. Makes about 1/2 cup.