Hot Cross Buns with Currants

*1 cup warm Water

*1 tablespoon Instant Yeast

*1 pound or about 3 cups Bread Flour, more when kneading

*1/2 cup Cake Flour

*2 tablespoons Dry Milk

*2 Large Eggs, whisked

*1/2 cup Sugar

*1 teaspoon Sea Salt

*1/2 cup Butter Flavored Shortening

*1 teaspoon Ground Allspice

***Milk Sugar Mixture, Coating

*1/2 cup Currants, moistened in 1/2 cup very warm apple juice until soft, then drain (very warm water is an option too) you could use all raisins

*1/4 cup Raisins or Golden Raisins, moistened in 1/4 cup very warm apple juice if needed, then  drain (If raisins aren’t really fresh) (very warm water is an option too)

**Hint:  Hand Stir currants and raisins at the end of mixing but before fully mixed.

In a bowl bloom the yeast in warm water until bubbly.

Combine and whisk together in a bowl the dry ingredients: Bread Flour, Cake Flour, Dry Milk, Allspice and Sea Salt.

In a large mixing bowl combine the wet ingredients: Sugar and Shortening creamed together, then add the whisked eggs, stirring until combined.

Add to the creamed mixture the yeast and slowly add the dry ingredients in thirds, add currants and raisins, stir until incorporated. Dough will be very sticky.

Knead/stir the dough for 5 minutes using flour as needed. Place kneaded dough into a oiled or cooking sprayed bowl, big enough for the dough to rise double in bulk, cover the top of the bowl with Saran Wrap/plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour.

After rising divide the dough into 12 rolls, using a pastry cutter, shape into uniform balls and allow rolls to rise on a half baking sheet lined with a Silpat (cooking Mat). Allow the rolls to raise another hour or until the rolls have raised double in size.  Do one of the following options.

Option 1 for Cross:

Just be for baking make a white cross on the buns, make a mixture of 1 tablespoon vegetable oil adding enough flour (very small amount around 2 tablespoons) to make a soft runny paste. After rolls have risen cut a cross in the top of the roll with a serrated Knife and pipe on the paste mixture.

Option 2 for Cross:

*1 cup Powdered Sugar

*1 tablespoon Softened Butter

*Milk, add a teaspoon at a time until you get a piping consistency.

Combine the above ingredients until smooth and pipe a cross onto each cooled Bun.

Bake the Rolls in a preheated 375*F. Oven for 15 minutes and then brush with the Milk and Sugar mixture and then bake another 5 minutes or until buns are a golden brown color.

***Milk Sugar Mixture:

*2 tablespoons Milk

*1 tablespoon Sugar

Mix together and brush on rolls after 15 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!

Jessica and Lindy