Hot Cross Buns
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
 
Classic hot cross buns...one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns!
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 pkg dry active yeast (~ 2½ tsp)
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 6 cups bread flour (or all purpose flour)
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
  • 2-3 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp melted butter (for brushing on buns)
  • ICING:
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar/icing sugar
Instructions
  1. Dissolve 2 tsp. sugar in the warm water. Sprinkle yeast into the water and let sit 10 minutes till frothy; stir well.
  2. Meanwhile, scald milk (heat milk in a small pan just until bubbles form on the edge); remove from heat and add ½ cup sugar, butter and salt. Stir well, until butter melts.
  3. In a large bowl (such as the bowl of a stand mixer), combine yeast mixture, milk mixture and 3 cups of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and elastic. Add eggs and beat well. Add cinnamon and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to the bowl. Knead with a dough hook on low speed for 8 minutes, until smooth and satiny. (By hand: knead on lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes).
  4. Place dough in large greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1½ hours. Punch down dough.
  5. Divide dough into 32 equal pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball. Place close together on a large greased cookie sheet or in a 10"x15" greased baking pan. Brush with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 25 minutes. Cut two gashes across the tops of buns to form crosses, then let rise for another 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake buns 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 15-18 minutes longer, until buns are golden brown. While still warmish, fill gashes with confectioner's icing.
  7. Confectioner's Icing: Put 2 cups confectioner's sugar in a small bowl and add 1 tsp of boiling water at a time until proper consistency is reached (usually about 2 tsp). Drizzle over warm buns.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2013/03/hot-cross-buns/