Hot Cross Buns

(2020)

I've never been successful at making anything with yeast.

I've tried making bread many years ago and failed,

so I've avoided baking anything with yeast.

Until this week. 

I've always wanted to make Hot Cross Buns

and gave it a try, with some help and guidance, 

from my sister Annie,  I was successful. 

This gives me the courage to

 try making bread again.

It's a long process, but we're in 

quarantine (year 2020), with

nowhere to go..... 

I adapted this recipe from The Food Network 

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 pkgs. 8g each, active dry yeast 


1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
(optional )1/4 tsp ground ginger
(I'm allergic to ginger)

1/2 cup currants
1 egg for brushing

Directions
Combine the water and milk in a 
medium saucepan and warm over 
low heat until about 100 deg. F 
(but no more than 110 deg.)
Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast 
and a pinch of sugar and flour over 
the surface of the liquid. Set aside
without stirring, until foamy and 
rising up the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

1. Whisk the butter, egg yolk and 
2. vanilla together and add to the yeast mixture

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon (and ginger). Stir in the currants. Makes a well in the centre of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick, shaggy, and slightly sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic  about 8 minutes. Shape into a ball.

Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. 
Put dough in bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. 
Cover with plastic wrap.
 Let rise at room temperature until
 doubled in size about 1 1/2 hrs. 

My dough has risen......yea!!

Grease or butter a 9x14 inch baking pan.

 To form the rolls: 
 Pat the dough into a rectangle about 16 x 8 inches.
 Divide the dough into 12 equal portions....
dividing the dough into half lengthwise, 
then in half crosswise, 
cut each of those four sections into 3 equal sized rolls.

Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls 

and place them seam side down in the prepared pan, 

leaving a little space in between each roll. 

Cover the pan with a buttered plastic wrap and set aside 

in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim

 of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

1. 
   

Preheat the oven to 375deg. F 
After they have risen nearly to the top of the pan, 
Brush the top of the buns with a beaten egg. 
Bake rolls until golden brown about 25 minutes.

For the Icing/Glaze

1 cup icing sugar/confectioners sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp milk. (Approx.)

Mix all together in a measuring cup,
place in a small plastic bag or ziplock bag,
 clip off the corner and apply the "cross".

In Christian beliefs, 

Hot Cross Buns are associated 

with Good Friday, 

 the "cross" representing the crucifixion of Jesus.



Update 2021

This year I used raisins instead of currants.

3/4 cup of raisins, I added the juice of a half

of an orange and 2 tbsps of rum. 

and cooked 45 seconds in the microwave.

This softens up the raisins and adds flavour.

  Add the raisins to the flour mixture but

  not the leftover juice, if any. 

Thanks for your visit xo

Have a Blessed Easter

☩☩☩

Stay safe and stay well. 

Annie's Honey Cornmeal Muffins

I wasn't a fan of anything cornmeal
until I tasted my sister Annie's muffins.  

High in fiber, low in sugar,

honey adds sweetness

 to these great tasting muffins.

 I had to share the recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow *cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs
1/3 cup butter melted.
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 cup sour cream..
 (If you don't have sour cream,

add 1tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

to 1 cup milk, and let stand 10 minutes)

Preheat oven to 400deg. F

Grease or line approx. 17 muffins- pan.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, 
baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and
 add the melted butter, brown sugar, 
 honey, sour cream and mix well.

Add both mixtures together. 

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together.

Do not over-mix, it should be lumpy.

Fill the prepared muffin tins.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until

a toothpick inserted in the middle,

comes out dry. 

Delicious! 

*Cornmeal

is a coarse flour ground from dried maize (corn)

It is a common staple food, and is ground

 to a fine medium and coarse consistencies,

but not as fine as wheat flour.

In the U.S. very fine ground cornmeal is

 referred to as corn flour.

Thanks for visiting my blog xo

Crock-Pot Orange Glazed Ham

Because of Covic-19 virus,  

A small ham is sufficient for two people.

 We are in quarantine, it won't be the same

 this Easter without family.

I bought this Toupie style, boneless smoked ham 

(4 lbs)

Instead of the traditional, brown sugar

 and cloves recipe,

I tried this orange brown sugar glaze

 and it didn't disappoint.

A few minutes to prepare and

 the crock-pot does the rest. 

The Orange Glaze

In a measuring cup, mix together

1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
(honey or maple syrup is good also)
1/4 cup vinegar

Grease the crock-pot for easier cleaning.

Place the ham in the crock-pot
punch holes in the top of the ham, 

with a fork or toothpick.

Pour the glaze over the ham.

Cook 4-5hrs. on low heat.
basting from time to time.
Cooking too long will result
in a tough ham. 

Thanks for your visit xo

Stay safe and stay well.

Happy Easter!