for many people. easter wouldn’t be easter without hot cross buns.
i am not one of those people, but i am quite fond of them, so when i came across this recipe for easy and quick “hot cross muffins,” i thought, why not?
my mom made them, too, and apparently my dad preferred the originals (he’s one of those easter wouldn’t be easter people), but i thought these were quite nice. and he (my other “he”) raved about them.
recipe from my king author flour bakers companion.
first you soak a cup of raisins in 2 tablespoons of liquor. i used bourbon, you could use brandy or rum, as well. i also used more liquor than that, but only mixed 2 tablespoons into the batter and made a cocktail with what was left over! (for those who might be concerned about my drinking habits, i made these the night before easter…) oh, and i used a mixture of white and dark raisins. and added the zest of one lemon, too.
in a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.
“make a well in the center,” it says (why?! who cares?) and dump in the raisins, 2 large eggs (beaten), 1 1/2 cups milk, and one stick of melted butter, cooled just enough so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
you are also supposed to add candied citron or mixed candied fruit, which is so traditional for hot cross buns. (those are the little candied, colored bits you find in fruit cakes at christmas, too) apparently, however, no one carries candied citron at easter, only at christmas. if you can get your hands on some, add 1/2 cup. since i couldn’t, i added lemon zest instead (step one).
mix well.
the batter’s a little soupier than you might expect. (also that’s my leftover raisin-and-lemon-zest-soaked bourbon! add hot water et voila!)
put in greased muffins tins, or line your tins with colorful easter papers!
the recipe actually made more than my muffin tins fit, so i made a small hot cross loaf, as well.
bake for 20-25 minutes (longer for the loaf) at 400 degrees.
(sorry my picture quality is still SO AWFUL. i don’t have a new camera yet and the iphone is only good sometimes…)
once they’re cool, you can give them their crosses – mix a tablespoon or so of soft butter with a cup or so of confectioners sugar, a small splash of milk, and some vanilla. stir until smooth.
bunny-approved!
