Hot Cross Buns

I’m not a big bread eater.  Most of the time it doesn’t fall far enough into dessert for me to justify spending my calories on it, and most of it is so . . . well . . . bready.  When I go out to eat, I’ll indulge in a piece or two if I love it, and the breads from Zingerman’s Bakery are often irresistible in small servings, but other than that I’m not a bread girl.

However there are those breads that fall clearly into the realm of dessert.  Panettone (as long as I make sure it doesn’t have chocolate – it’s surprising how many do) and stollen are two of my favorite treats.  I’ve never had a hot cross bun before this adventure.  The plan has been to go to Zingerman’s to pick some up for a couple years, but it hasn’t happened yet.  They were a favorite of my Granny, and around this time of year I see them all over TV and in the grocery store circulars.  It was finally time for me to try making my very own hot cross buns.

I adapted John Barricelli’s recipe.  He has become one of my favorite bakers from seeing him on The Martha Stewart Show all the time.  All of his recipes I’ve tried have come out perfectly and he makes everything seem easy and approachable.  I also received his signed cookbook for Christmas, which was very exciting.

Yes, this is a yeast dough recipe.  But don’t be afraid.  These buns were easy to make.  Seriously.  The ease was kind of shocking.  There’s always some nervousness and risk when working with yeast.  Is the yeast alive?  Will it rise?  Will all my hard work go to waste?  If you check the date on the yeast, it’s probably alive and will rise, and using this recipe will ensure your hard work will not go to waste.  I used the little packets of Fleischmann’s Dry Active Yeast.  They’re easy to find in most grocery stores and very reliable.

I didn’t mess with the major structural components of the recipe, but I did mix up the flavorings quite a bit.  Adding extra sugar ensured I would be left with the dessert bread I was looking for.  The lemon and orange zest of the original recipe were greatly enhanced by the addition of a bit of cinnamon, and I like the swap of raisins and dried cherries (both Sun Maid) for currants.  I also chose to skip the bun crossing paste and go with the traditional icing cross, mostly because when I think of hot cross buns, I think of that thin white cross on top of them.

They are time consuming, but only due to the rising time.  There is very little active time.  I didn’t know what to expect, having never tasted one of these little treats, however, while chewing the first bite, I wondered where they had been all my life.  The top is slightly golden and firm, while the interior and bottom are white and soft and sweet.  The raisins and cherries interspersed throughout add just a hint of chewiness and extra flavor.  The lemon and orange zest kind of fade to the background while the hint of cinnamon comes through.  Even though I did make the icing cross, which had an amazing vanilla flavor, I still added the preserve glaze.  I used American Spoon Red Haven Peach Preserves, which I didn’t strain.  I broke up large chunks using a spoon, leaving the few small pieces of peach as a delightful addition.  Any peach or apricot preserves would do the job, but I absolutely love American Spoon’s products.  They are made in Michigan using ingredients from Michigan, giving them a superb flavor.  No extra or strange ingredients here.

Perfect for Easter or anytime, really, these hot cross buns are one of my new favorite treats with the perfect combination of flavors.