So if you are still wondering as to how to bake hot cross buns. Check out the following simple steps

½ cup water; ½ cup whole milk; ½ cup sugar; 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast; 1/3 cups unsalted melted butter; 1 large egg yolk; little vanilla extract; 3 cups of flour; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; little ground ginger; currants plumped in microwave and then cooled; 1 beaten egg.

For glazing: 2 cups od sifted confectioner’s sugar; 2 tablespoons milk; ¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; a little vanilla extract.

Slightly heat water and milk in a saucepan. Remove and sprinkle yeast, a little sugar and some flour on the surface of the liquid. Don’t stir. Leave the saucepan till the concoction becomes a bit foamy and begins to rise over the sides of the saucepan. The entire process should ideally take about 30 minutes.

Whisk butter, egg yolk and vanilla extract into the yeast mixture in the saucepan

Whisk in flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a separate bowl. Make a depression in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly stir in the yeast mixture and currants. Stir the whole thing so you’ll get a fairly consistent and sticky dough. Add some extra flour and knead to make the dough elastic.

Mould the dough into circular buns.

Take a bowl and brush the sides with butter, Spread the dough on the bowl and cover with thin transparent foil and keep aside in room temperature. In about 1 and a half hours you’ll see the dough rise.

Turn the dough out and flatten it. Cut perfect round rolls and place them in a pan with the sides tucked in. Place the buns seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 40 minutes

Remove the plastic wrap and brush the rolls with beaten egg. Place them in a tray and put them in an oven – pre-heated to about 375 degree F.

When the buns are golden brown. Glaze them and make crosses on top with the icing

http://www.christmascarnivals.com/