5 cups all-purpose flour (5 to 5 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 packages Fleischmann's® Active Dry or Rapid Rise Yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 8-ounce package chopped dates or pitted dates, snipped
1 egg white, lightly beaten with
1 tablespoon water
Vanilla Frosting, recipe follows
VANILLA FROSTING
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk (1 to 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Servings: 18
1. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and undissolved yeast.
2. Heat milk, water and butter until hot to touch (125º to 130ºF). Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough.
3. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest on board 20 minutes (10 minutes for Rapid Rise Yeast).*
4. Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in dates. Divide dough into 18 equal pieces; form into smooth balls. Place balls on greased baking sheets, 2 inches apart, or in 2 greased 8-inch square baking pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
5. Brush with egg white mixture. Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until done. Makes 1 1/2 dozen buns. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Drizzle or pipe vanilla frosting on rolls to make a cross.
Vanilla Frosting: Stir together confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract.
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VARIATIONS:
Scandinavian— popular flavors from Scandinavia—fragrant lemon, cardamom and crunchy toasted almonds.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except replace cinnamon and nutmeg with 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom and 4 teaspoons lemon peel. Knead 1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds into dough along with dates. Top with:
Almond Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
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Southern Pecan Buns— basic buns enriched with flavorful pecans and sweet orange.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except add 1 tablespoon orange peel to dry ingredients and knead 1/2 cup chopped pecans into dough along with dates. Top with:
Orange Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice.
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Hawaiian Island Buns—nutty toasted coconut balanced with fresh-tasting lemon.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except add 1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut and 1 tablespoon lemon peel to dry ingredients. Top with:
Lemon Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Sprinkle with additional coconut, if desired.
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Heartland Whole Wheat Buns—a wholesome wheat and walnut bun lightly spiced with cloves.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except replace 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and add 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves to dry ingredients. Knead 1/2 cup chopped walnuts into dough along with dates. Top with:
Vanilla Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
____________________
Exotic Spice Buns—redolent with fresh, clean flavors of two spices originating in Asia but common in baked goods throughout America - ginger and lemon.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except replace cinnamon and nutmeg with 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger and add 4 teaspoons lemon peel. Knead 1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds into dough along with dates. Top with:
Ginger Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
Yield: 18 buns
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 packages Fleischmann's® Active Dry or Rapid Rise Yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 8-ounce package chopped dates or pitted dates, snipped
1 egg white, lightly beaten with
1 tablespoon water
Vanilla Frosting, recipe follows
VANILLA FROSTING
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk (1 to 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Servings: 18
1. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and undissolved yeast.
2. Heat milk, water and butter until hot to touch (125º to 130ºF). Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough.
3. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest on board 20 minutes (10 minutes for Rapid Rise Yeast).*
4. Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in dates. Divide dough into 18 equal pieces; form into smooth balls. Place balls on greased baking sheets, 2 inches apart, or in 2 greased 8-inch square baking pans. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
5. Brush with egg white mixture. Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until done. Makes 1 1/2 dozen buns. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Drizzle or pipe vanilla frosting on rolls to make a cross.
Vanilla Frosting: Stir together confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract.
____________________
VARIATIONS:
Scandinavian— popular flavors from Scandinavia—fragrant lemon, cardamom and crunchy toasted almonds.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except replace cinnamon and nutmeg with 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom and 4 teaspoons lemon peel. Knead 1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds into dough along with dates. Top with:
Almond Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
____________________
Southern Pecan Buns— basic buns enriched with flavorful pecans and sweet orange.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except add 1 tablespoon orange peel to dry ingredients and knead 1/2 cup chopped pecans into dough along with dates. Top with:
Orange Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice.
____________________
Hawaiian Island Buns—nutty toasted coconut balanced with fresh-tasting lemon.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except add 1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut and 1 tablespoon lemon peel to dry ingredients. Top with:
Lemon Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Sprinkle with additional coconut, if desired.
____________________
Heartland Whole Wheat Buns—a wholesome wheat and walnut bun lightly spiced with cloves.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except replace 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and add 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves to dry ingredients. Knead 1/2 cup chopped walnuts into dough along with dates. Top with:
Vanilla Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
____________________
Exotic Spice Buns—redolent with fresh, clean flavors of two spices originating in Asia but common in baked goods throughout America - ginger and lemon.
Follow basic recipe for Hot Cross Buns except replace cinnamon and nutmeg with 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger and add 4 teaspoons lemon peel. Knead 1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds into dough along with dates. Top with:
Ginger Frosting:
Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
Yield: 18 buns
