[Salvation]

Hot Cross Buns
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105°-115º)
3-1/2-4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup warm milk (105°-115ºº)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel
1/3 cup dark raisins
Confectioners' Icing (optional)
Glaze
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes. Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, melted butter, egg, and warm milk. Mix thoroughly. Add salt, nutmeg, cloves, and yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly. Knead in orange peel, raisins, and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth—about 10 minutes.

Place in greased bowl, turning to coat top. Cover; let rise in warm place until double—about 1 hour. Punch down dough. Shape into balls of equal size. Make glaze and brush on loaf. If desired, use scissors to snip a cross pattern on top of buns. Bake in a preheated 350° oven about 20-30 minutes or until done. Cool on wire rack. Optional: frost with Confectioner's Icing, making a cross on top of each bun.



Confectioners' Icing
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk

Mix thoroughly. Before icing, cool bread slightly. Place bread on wire rack. Slip waxed paper under rack. (This makes for easy clean up.) With spoon, drizzle icing over each bun (lengthwise and crosswise), forming crosses.
(©1982 Kathy Cutler, The Festive Bread Book).

[Salvation]