Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• ½ cube of fresh yeast
• 1 tsp sugar for the yeast starter
• 125 ml water, lukewarm
• 500 g wheat flour or spelt flour
• 1 tsp, leveled salt
• 1 tsp, smothered cinnamon
• 1 pinch of clove powder
• 1 pinch(s) allspice
• 1 pinch of cardamom
• 50 g sugar
• 50 g currants, raisins or cranberries
• 25 g candied lemon peel
• 25 g candied orange peel
• 50 g butter
• 1 egg(s)
• 125 ml milk, lukewarm
• 30 g flour
• 40 g powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp water, cold
• 3 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 35 minutes

simple Good Friday rolls, spiced yeast dough

Melt the butter; it should be liquid and will be used warm, not hot, in the next step. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and add a teaspoon of sugar. Let the yeast rise in a warm place for at least 15 minutes. I use the oven for this, which I set at 40°C (top/bottom heat). Finely grind the candied lemon and orange peel to taste, e.g., with a hand blender. This tip is for those who, like me, don’t like biting into the pieces. Mix the flour with salt, cinnamon, cardamom, clove powder, allspice, and other spices to taste (e.g., vanilla, grated orange peel). Add the candied lemon and orange peel and currants, raisins, or other dried fruit cut into raisin-sized pieces. If making the dough by hand, make a well in the mixture. Add the egg, sugar, and yeast mixture and begin kneading. Add the lukewarm milk in portions until you have a smooth dough that comes away from your fingers. Knead everything in a food processor until you have a dough. Then add the warm milk a little at a time to create a smooth and compact dough. 125 ml of milk is usually too much. Let the finished dough rise in a warm place for at least 90 minutes (see above). It is better to let it rise longer, as the buns will be fluffier this way. After the proving time, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and form them into balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and press down lightly on the tops (flatten them). Place a towel over them and keep the balls warm for another 45 minutes. In the meantime, mix the powdered sugar and flour with a little water (2 tablespoons) to form a paste and transfer it to a squeeze bottle or piping bag. After the second proving time, preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat). Score the buns crosswise so they will burst during baking – delicious – or press them crosswise with the back of a knife. Pour the icing sugar paste into these indentations. This will ultimately form the white cross – Good Friday buns, in other words. Bake the prepared buns in an oven preheated to 200°C on the middle rack for about 20 minutes. They will be done after about 18 minutes, then add another two minutes for a light browning. While the buns are baking, make a sugar solution. Mix sugar with water and stir on the stove until completely dissolved. After baking, brush the hot buns with the sugar water. After just 10 minutes of cooling, they are ready to enjoy. Hot cross buns originate from England and are traditionally eaten there on Good Friday. Therefore, they are decorated with a white cross shortly before baking.