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daidoji_gisei) wrote2020-04-05 09:23 pm
daidoji_gisei) wrote2020-04-05 09:23 pm
My Grandmother's Hot Cross Buns Recipe
I found this recipe in a notebook of recipes that my Grandma had written out for my Mom when she first moved out on her own. This means it is at least 60 years old, and I don't know where Grandma got it. I have never made it, though I intend to as soon as logistically feasible. I have typed up the recipe exactly as written, and added some comments at the bottom
My Grandmother's Hot Cross Buns
2 envelopes of yeast (0)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup currants
Put yeast into bowl, slowly add milk which has been cooled. (1) Stir to dissolve yeast. Add sugar and beaten egg. Sift flour once before measuring and add flour, salt, spices to mixture. Add softened butter and mix thoroughly.
Add fruit which has been washed in hot water. (2) Knead until smooth working in fruit. Place in well greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double; punch down and let rise until double again. Form into buns, let rise and then cut crosses on top. Bake at 375 degrees F. (3)
Transcriber's notes:
(0) One envelope of yeast is approximately a scant tablespoon.
(1) As the recipe says the milk needs to be cooled, it probably assumes that you know that you are supposed to scald milk before using it in bread baking. Don't skip the scalding step; it denatures some milk proteins that will inhibit gluten formation.
(2) I'm not sure what it means by "wash" here. I would rinse them in a little hot water to start hydrating them, otherwise they might pull too much moisture out of the dough as it is going though its rising cycles.
(3) No, it doesn't give a time. If your risen buns are about the size of tennis balls I would start checking them at 15-20 minutes; let your nose and eyes guide you.
My Grandmother's Hot Cross Buns
2 envelopes of yeast (0)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup currants
Put yeast into bowl, slowly add milk which has been cooled. (1) Stir to dissolve yeast. Add sugar and beaten egg. Sift flour once before measuring and add flour, salt, spices to mixture. Add softened butter and mix thoroughly.
Add fruit which has been washed in hot water. (2) Knead until smooth working in fruit. Place in well greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double; punch down and let rise until double again. Form into buns, let rise and then cut crosses on top. Bake at 375 degrees F. (3)
Transcriber's notes:
(0) One envelope of yeast is approximately a scant tablespoon.
(1) As the recipe says the milk needs to be cooled, it probably assumes that you know that you are supposed to scald milk before using it in bread baking. Don't skip the scalding step; it denatures some milk proteins that will inhibit gluten formation.
(2) I'm not sure what it means by "wash" here. I would rinse them in a little hot water to start hydrating them, otherwise they might pull too much moisture out of the dough as it is going though its rising cycles.
(3) No, it doesn't give a time. If your risen buns are about the size of tennis balls I would start checking them at 15-20 minutes; let your nose and eyes guide you.