Hot Cross Buns for People Who Don’t Like Dried Fruit

Hot cross buns are traditional Easter Rolls that are marked with a cross, usually made from frosting. The bun, filled with dried fruit, was originally baked in honor of Eastre, Godess of Spring.During the Middle Ages all breads were marked with a cross — bakers felt that the holy marking would keep the devil from causing the bread to mold or burn. In the 1600s, under the pressure from Puritans, this practice was discontinued except on certain holy days. In fact the only time baked goods couple be marked with a cross was Good Friday.

The buns were traditionally eaten for breakfast on Good Friday and not held until Easter.

Here’s the deal. While I love raisins and other dried fruit out of the box I rarely like it in any sort of baked thing. The texture changes and it just bothers me. Hot cross buns are generally a minefield of rum soaked dried fruit and, while I am not adverse to rum for breakfast, the whole package together is just not something that most of my family would enjoy. Keeping that in mind I decided to throw caution to the wind, remove whatever nutritional value might be lurking in the buns, and substitute the dried fruit with white chocolate chips.

The Restless Chipotle Channel

Pure evil, right?

These are big, chewy, sweet, spicy buns with a fragile sugar crust on the top that teases you with a crisp shell that melts away in seconds. Cloves, nutmeg, and roasted cinnamon make the whole house smell amazing while they are baking. As you eat them you get random blasts of white chocolate. They are not as sweet as a cinnamon roll but way more interesting than a piece of toast. Slightly warmed with a slather of orange marmalade?

Heaven.

Now, there’s no reason that you need to wait for Easter to make them. Hot Cross buns are just as yummy on a dreary, rainy Wednesday as they are on Good Friday. Maybe even better.

If you are pushed for time you can even cover the unbaked, shaped rolls loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight.

I adapted the Hot Cross Buns recipe from King Arthur Flour.

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• Hot Cross Buns with Orange and White Chocolate

Hot Cross Buns with Orange and White Chocolate

Hot cross buns are a traditional Easter treat that has a tradition that goes back centuries. This updated version is perfect for those that dislike dried fruit - white chocolate chips are substituted for the raisins and currants.

Prep Time2 hrs

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time2 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 12

Author: Marye Audet

Ingredients

Rolls

• 1 1/4 cups milk , 110F
• 3 large eggs , room temperature, separate one egg white out
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon roasted cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 4 to 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Glaze

• Reserved egg white
• 1 tablespoon cream
• Sugar crystals for sprinkling

Icing

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons cream

Instructions

• Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
• Mix together all of the dough ingredients except the white chocolate chips.
• Knead until the dough is soft and elastic.
• Mix in the white chocolate.
• Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.
• Divide the dough into 12 balls.
• Arrange them in the prepared pan.
• Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Whisk together the reserved egg white and cream, and brush it over the buns.
• Sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, and cool.
• Mix together the icing ingredients.
• Pipe a cross on the cooled buns.

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