hot cross bunsPreparation time 40 min. + 2 hrs. Resting time | Serves 18 buns

This hot cross buns recipe is one of famous Easter recipe. It only takes time in preparing the dough which requires little bit more effort than other bread dough recipes, but in the end becomes soft and fluffy buns are prepared at home economically.

Ingredients:

5 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp instant yeast
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1¼ cup milk
½ cup butter
2 eggs (beaten)
¾ cup raisins
1/3 cup candied orange peel
1 egg yolk (diluted with 2 tbsp water)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt and spices.
3. Heat milk in a sauce pan until it warms (before boiling point), then add butter and stir well.
4. Remove pan from heat add flour mixture and mix using whisk so that no lumps would form.
5. After that add eggs and beat for 1 min and then fold the batter with raisins and orange peel.
6. Now add remaining flour slowly so that perfect sough would form and knead it until become smooth soft dough.
7. Transfer that dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic sheet tightly. Leave as its is for at least an hour until dough rises to double.
8. After that divide the dough into 18 equal pieces and make balls of each piece.
9. Place the balls on a greased baking pan, cover the pan and let them rise again for an hour.
10. Before baking brush the balls with egg yolk and then bake for 20-25 min in preheated oven.
11. When buns are baked perfectly cook them to room temperature and top them by making cross sign of vanilla frosting.

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