Hot Cross Buns With Dried Cherries Recipes

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes. Place the flour, salt, sugar, cardamom, 1 1/4 cups of milk, butter and egg into the bread machine. Pour the yeast mixture on top. Close the lid and set the machine for the Dough setting. If using raisins, dried cherries or dried cranberries, add them at the beep.
• When the dough has finished, divide into 12 portions and shape into balls. Place them into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the plastic wrap from the rolls. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Make frosting by whisking together the confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup of milk and almond extract until smooth. When the buns are cool, drizzle frosting over them in a cross shape.

Steps:

• Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar and flour over the surface of the liquid. Set aside without stirring, until foamy and rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
• Whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick, shaggy, and slightly sticky dough. Stir in currants. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes. (If you have a marker, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time to help you keep track.)
• To form the rolls: Butter a 9 by 14-inch baking pan. Turn the dough out of the bowl and pat into a rectangle about 16 by 8 inches. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, about 2 ounces each, with a pizza wheel or bench scraper. (If you don't have a scale, divide the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut each of those four sections into 3 equal-sized rolls.)
• Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan, leaving a little space in between each roll. Cover the pan with buttered plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg. Bake rolls until golden brown and puffy, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the rolls registers 190 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• For the glaze: Stir together confectioners' sugar, milk, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Transfer icing to a zip bag or pastry bag, and make a small cut in the corner of the bag. Ice buns in a thick cross shape over the top of the warm buns.

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it registers 110 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour milk into a mixer bowl, and fit mixer with a dough hook. With mixer on low speed, add granulated sugar, yeast, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggs. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and knead until mixture comes together in a soft, sticky dough. Continue kneading, scraping down hook as needed, until dough is smooth, about 4 minutes.
• Add cherries and raisins, and knead to incorporate. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead to distribute dried fruit. Coat a large bowl with butter. Shape dough into a ball, and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet. Turn dough onto a surface, knead briefly, then divide into 3 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, divide each third into 10 pieces, and shape each into a tight ball. (Keep dough covered with plastic.) Place on prepared sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm spot until buns have doubled in size and are touching, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush tops of buns with egg-white wash. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
• Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch round tip, and pipe icing on buns in the shape of a cross. (Alternatively, spoon glaze on buns.) Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in granulated sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, 2 eggs and 2 cups of the flour. Beat with spoon until smooth. Stir in cranberries, blueberries, cherries and enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover; let rise in warm place about 1 1/2 hours or until double in size. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)
• Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Snip a cross shape in top of each ball with scissors. Cover; let rise in warm place about 40 minutes or until double in size.
• Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, slightly beat 1 egg and cold water; brush over tops of buns. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all icing ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Remove buns from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool 5 minutes. Frost cross on top of each bun with icing. Serve warm.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in the butter, eggs, sugar and salt. Combine 3 cups flour, candied fruit and cinnamon; add to yeast mixture and mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; shape into 2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on top of each bun. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Beat egg yolk and water; brush over buns. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. Combine icing ingredients; pipe an "X" on top of each bun.