Hot Cross Buns from Britain

No Easter is complete without hot cross buns.  Chocolate bunnies I can do without, but not hot cross buns.  Hot cross buns have been around for centuries.  There were even times in English history when the sale of hot cross buns was banned.  It is said that if you share your hot cross buns with friends then you will cement that friendship for the coming year.

4 cups flour
1 packet instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups currants or dried fruit mix
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
For the crosses: 1/2 cup flour with 4 tablespoons water
For the glaze: 1/3 cup boiling water 2 tablespoons castor sugar
Put the flour, yeast, sugar, spice, salt and dried fruit mix in a large bowl.  Mix together.  Melt the butter and add the milk so that it is warm but not hot.  Add this to your dry mix in the bowl.  Add in the beaten eggs.  Cut it in with a knife until the dough starts to come together.  Discard the knife, put your hands in and knead until you have a soft elastic dough.  Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours until your dough doubles in size.  Divide the dough into 12 balls and place them on a greased baking tray.  Cover and leave in a warm place for another 30 minutes until the buns double in size.  Make the flour paste to make the crosses that you put on the top of each bun.  Bake in an oven preheated at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or until the buns are golden brown.  As the buns come out of the oven, you need to apply the glaze when they are still hot.  Dissolve the sugar in the boiling water and brush the glaze over the hot cross buns.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently working in Kyiv Ukraine.  She's the author of Hush Baby, Defective, Not Telling, C U @ 8 and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format.  http://cindyvine.com