“One a penny, two a penny,
Hot-cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons!”
~Mother Goose
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This recipe was adapted from one that I saved from the King Arthur website in 2012. I used the Artisan Flour Blend from Better Batter (* see notes) and adjusted the liquid per instructions. The verdict- amazing! Hot Cross Buns were always an Easter favorite, and I am thrilled to be able to enjoy them again!
Adapted from King Arthur Baking Company
Ingredients:
- For the dough
- 1/4 cup rum
- 1/2 cup raisins (I used Sunmaid)
- 2-1/2 cups milk, warmed
- 2-1/4 tsp. instant yeast
- 2 eggs plus 1 yolk (reserve whites)
- 6 tbsp. butter, softened
- 607 g. Better Batter GF Artisan Flour Blend
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1-3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 egg white, reserved from above for brushing
- 1 tbsp. milk, for egg wash
- For the Icing
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 4 tsp. milk
Preparation:
Line a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with parchment paper and mist with cooking spray.
Place the rum and raisins in a small bowl to soak while you make the dough.
Microwave the butter on low for 30-45 seconds to soften.
Add milk to a microwave safe container and microwave 1-1/2 minutes. Whisk in the yeast and let it proof for 15 minutes.
Separate one egg and set aside the whites.
Whisk the yolk with the remaining 2 eggs.
Add the dry ingredients, flour through baking powder, to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk thoroughly.
Add the butter, eggs and milk/yeast mixture and mix together on low with the paddle attachment. It will look like wet pancake batter at this point. Increase the speed and beat for 5 minutes to form a soft, smooth dough.
Finally, add the rum-soaked raisins and their liquid, mixing for one more minute to incorporate.
Gather the dough together in the bowl, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto an oiled cutting board (mist it with cooking spray) and use a bench knife to divide it into 12 equal pieces.
With oiled hands, roll each piece into a ball and arrange in the prepared pan.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let the buns rise until puffy and touching one another, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375º.
Whisk the reserved egg white with 1 tbsp. milk, and brush over the buns.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205º (check with a thermometer).
Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting (** see notes)
Whisk the icing ingredients together, and spoon into a pastry bag. If you don’t have a pastry bag (I don’t), use a clean zip top plastic bag with the tip of one corner snipped off. Pipe the cross over each roll.
Be sure the buns are completely cooled before frosting. They smell so good, you will want to eat them right out of the oven. Try to resist, because they need time to set (or the centers may be gummy). Plus, if you frost the buns while they are warm the glaze will melt away. Patience!
Notes ♪ I used and recommend Better Batter Artisan Flour Blend for this recipe. This flour requires twice the liquid of typical recipes, so if you use another flour, you will need to adjust the liquid to flour ratio. Start with half the milk (1-1/4 cup) and only add more if needed, 1 tbsp. at a time.
Notes ♫ Do you need special cookbooks for gluten free baking? During the first year following my Celiac diagnosis I donated most of my old cookbooks, thinking I could never use them again. I was so wrong! I wish that I had known the truth, that most mainstream recipes can be adapted to gluten free, often with an exchange of one or two ingredients!
