"Shirley" Goodness Hot Cross Buns

"Shirley" Goodness Hot Cross Buns

"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, all the days, all the days of my life" - a line from one of my favorite old hymns (based on Psalm 23).

 "Shirley" is not a mistake in the title of this post........my mother-in-law's name is Shirley and this recipe that I'm sharing with you today is one of her creations (I have her permission to share it with you).  The instructions are different from the way that she makes these Hot Cross Buns - I have changed it so that the dough is made in the bread machine.  I have to say that nobody makes bread like she does - not even the bread machine.

1 package of yeast                                                   Printable Recipe

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 to 4 cups flour (bread flour is the best, all-purpose flour will work though)

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2/3 cups currants

Step 1:  Mix the water & milk and then melt the butter in that mixture (allow to cool for 5 minutes).

Step 2:  Place the egg and melted butter/milk mixture in the bottom of the bread-machine pan.

Step 3:  Pour 3 1/2 cups of flour on top of the ingredients from step 2 into the bread-machine pan.

Step 4:  Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the sugar and yeast.

Step 5:  Sprinkle the salt and cinnamon around the edge of the ingredients in the pan (see picture below on the left).

Step 6:  Set your bread machine on the "Dough" setting and start.

Step 7:  Once the bread machine has mixed your dough for a few minutes - then add in the currants - the dough should look like the picture below on the right.

Step 8:  Once the bread machine has completed the "dough" function your dough should have risen and look like the  picture above.

Step 9:  Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and on a lightly floured surface - roll out one portion at a time (about 1/2 inch thick)

Step 10:  Butter the rolled out dough and sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon over the surface and then roll (see picture below on the left).

Step 11:  Cut the rolled dough into 8 pieces (see picture below).

Step 12:  Repeat steps 10 & 11 with the second half of the dough.

Step 13:  Place the cut pieces in a parchment lined cake pan or pie pan - cut side down (see below left) (you will need a total of 2 pans - 8 buns in each pan).

Step 14:  Allow the buns to rise for 1 hour in a warm place (my mother-in-law always covers the pan with a damp cloth that has been dampened with very warm or hot water).  You will see how much the buns have risen in the picture below right.

Step 15:  Bake in a preheated oven 375 degrees  for 20 to 25 minutes (see picture below).

Glaze

1 tablespoon butter

1 to 2 tablespoons cream or milk

1+ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer combine all ingredients - NOTE: you might need to add a little extra powdered sugar to get your desired thickness.

While the buns are still warm - spread a thin layer of glaze on the top of each Hot Cross Bun (see picture below).

Shirley spreads the glaze onto the buns while they are still warm.

Final step - once they are cool to the touch - Pipe a glaze cross on the top of each bun.

Serve immediately and ENJOY!!

NOTE:  They are best (fresh and moist) when they are eaten the day that they are made.

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