Wisdom Wednesday: Tasha Tudor's Hot Cross Buns

I've been lucky over the years to benefit from amazing advice given by people who know a whole lot more than I do. In honor of all the advice I've received - some great and some not-so-great - I'm starting a new little tradition on my blog: Wisdom Wednesdays. Every week I'll share a piece of thought-provoking advice for you to think about, talk about and enjoy.


This week's wisdom is a little unusual. Instead of telling a story, I'm posting my "famous" hot cross buns recipe, from the Tasha Tudor cookbook. We make them every year on Good Friday.

These buns take a while to rise but they're pretty easy to make. And they always turn out absolutely delicious!

Photo from here

Tasha Tudor's Hot Cross Buns

Double the recipe if you desire more than 12 buns. I always do, as these have a tendency to disappear when guests or family are about! Also, when I double the receipt i use a total of 3 packets of yeast for 24 buns; the extra yeast makes them lighter.

1 cup milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
1 packet yeast (or 3 if doubling the recipe)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
*1 cup currants
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

*We never use the currants and they still taste delicious.

In a small bowl, stir the milk into the yeast to dissolve, adding 1 teaspoon of the 1/2 cup sugar. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, the remaining sugar, the cinnamon, and the currants. Add the milk and yeast mixture and mix well. Cover with a warm towel, set aside, and allow to rise in a draft-free place for 30 minutes.

Add the salt and melted butter, being sure that the butter is not too hot, so as not to destroy the live yeast. knead the dough lightly on a generously floured surface, then place in mixing bowl, cover again, and let rise until double in size, 1 hour or so.

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F.

Shape the dough into 12 buns and place on a parchment-paper-lined-baking sheet. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.

Bake the buns in the preheated over for 15 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and cool on racks.

When the buns are cool, make an X on top of each one with a pastry tube filled with the mixture of:

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons light cream or milk, or enough to make the icing easy to spread

This recipe makes 12 buns.