Hot Cross Buns

Every year around this time, I make Hot Cross Buns. We had them every year when I was growing up, and when I first moved to New York, I looked everywhere for authentic ones. I never found any I liked, so eventually I started making my own. I’ve never figured out to make the custard-like crosses I remember from my youth, but I keep on looking. This year I substituted about 1½ cups of whole wheat pastry flour for some of the flour, and it worked out fine. This is the best recipe I’ve found, so I've been using it for 20 years. It makes about 20 buns.

Combine:
3/8 cup sugar and 2 eggs and mix until frothy.
Add ¼ cup melted butter and 1+1/8 cup lukewarm milk—then sprinkle 1 Tb. Yeast over mixture.
Sift together:
2 cups flour (+2 additional cups, added later)
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
½ tsp. salt
Add flour mixture to egg mixture. Stir in ½ to ¾ cups candied fruit and ½ cup currants.

Add enough additional sifted flour ½ cup at a time (up to 2 cups) to make a manageable dough. Kneed in bowl for 2—3 minutes and if dough seems sticking kneed briefly on floured board.
Cover and let rise until doubled—about 2-3 hours.

Roll dough to ½ inch and cut with 2 ½ inch cookie cutter. Form balls and brush with 1—2 Tb. Melted butter. Let rise about an hour (more if room is cool). Brush with egg glaze made with 1 egg yolk and 1-2 Tb. Half & half. (Make a cross on top with a sharp knife or razor blade; save the egg white for egg-white frosting below.) Bake 25-30 minutes at 375¡. (Try 350¡, and check after 15 minutes—switch shelves half way through.)

When cool, frost crosses with a sugar glaze frosting (powdered sugar, cream and vanilla or lemon juice), or try an egg-white frosting, with an egg white (or part of one), powdered sugar and 1 tsp. lemon juice or vanilla. You will need a pastry bag for the crosses.