Breads Yeast: Hot Cross Buns 03 by Recipe Cottage

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	Hot Cross Buns 03

		Hot Cross Buns 1 pkg yeast 1/2 c warm water 1 Tb plus 1 tsp white sugar 4 cups unbleached white flour or 2 cups white and 2 cups whole-wheat flour 2 Tbs light brown sugar 1 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups warm milk 1/2 stick softened butter 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup currants or raisins, or a mixture of the two Put the yeast, warm water and 1 tsp. white sugar in a small bowl, stir and set aside until frothy, about 10 minutes. Put the flour, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a bowl and whisk together. Put the butter into 1 cup of the warm milk and let it melt. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, the warm milk mixture and the eggs. Mix until blended, then add the currants or raisins and knead until you have a smooth dough, soft but not sticky, about 5 minutes in an electric mixture, 10 minutes by hand. (Add a little extra milk if you need it to get the right consistency.) Cover with a plastic bag or plastic wrap and leave in a draft-free spot until the dough has doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down; shape into 16 to 18 balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with a sheet of plastic, place in a warm spot and allow to rise again until the buns are almost double in volume, about 20-30 minutes. Now with a very sharp knife or razor, make a quick cross on top. Preheat the oven to 400F. Allow the buns to recover from the cross-making for 10-15 minutes, then bake for 12-15 minutes. Make a glaze by boiling 2 Tbs. of the remaining milk with the 1 Tbs. of sugar until it is very bubbly. Brush the glaze on the buns as you take them from the oven, it makes them shiny. Makes 16-18 buns.