Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns! One a-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, give ’em to your sons! One a-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns!
Maybe you learned this famous rhyme years ago on the playground or in your music lesson. Maybe your grandmother sang it to you as a child and you now sing it to your children. But do you know the history of this familiar rhyme?
There are many theories and stories about the famous bread, but we do know that hot cross buns originated in Europe. The famous buns are sweet rolls marked with a cross on top. One tradition tells us that these buns were marked with a cross for Good Friday. In the 14th century, monks from St. Alban’s Abbey first distributed them to the poor people who came there. Eventually, these Good Friday buns became very popular throughout Europe, and were sold throughout Lent by vendors who cried,
Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns! One a-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, give ’em to your sons! One a-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns!
Years later, history tells us, some Protestant rulers felt threatened by these Good Friday buns, and even tried to ban them for their religious significance.
Try this easy recipe for your own hot cross buns!
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup dried currants (or raisins)
Combine half the flour, yeast, and cinnamon. In saucepan, heat milk, oil, sugar, and salt until warm (115 to 120 degrees). Add to flour and cinnamon mixture. Beat at low speed with mixer until blended, then 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in currants (or raisins) and remaining flour. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Place dough in lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in warm place until double (about 1 1/2 hours).
Punch dough down. Turn onto lightly floured surface. Cover. Let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 18 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place on greased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover and let rise until double (about 30-45 minutes). With a sharp serrated knife, cut a shallow cross in each bun. Brush tops with egg white. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
–For icing crosses-
Combine 1 1/1 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla and enough milk to make icing spreading consistency. Pipe crosses on tops of buns.
–Or, for piped dough crosses-
Mix 1/4 cup icing sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp milk, and enough water to make a thick paste & pipe on after brushing with egg white mixture.