Brioche du Carême - Hot Cross Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If I may, I'd like to have a word or two with those wonderful souls who have been following One Perfect Bite from its very hesitant beginnings. Initially, there were just four of you, two of whom were family. That is painfully true. Those four kept each other company for the longest time, but when that first Easter rolled around the ranks had swollen to a hundred or so, and I was comfortable posting recipes for seasonal foods that I thought my readers might enjoy. That April I featured a recipe for hot cross buns that I had been asked to post. Unfortunately, it was not the recipe my readers wanted to see. It was too involved for those who didn't have the leisure the retirement kitchen afforded, and, while it's taken a while, I've finally found one that will better suit those with less time on their hands. We've been featuring French recipes this week and while searching for foods that might be part of the French Easter celebration, I came across a recipe for hot cross buns, or brioche du carême. I'm told the buns are not standard fare in France, but that they can be found in the boulangeries of Alsace-Lorraine, probably because of the German influence in the region. The word carême means Lent and the Lenten buns made in France are nearly identical to their English counterpart, the hot cross buns which are eaten on Good Friday by the British. While I prefer the original recipe I posted for hot cross buns, I must admit this one is delicious as well. I hope you will like this easier version. Here's the recipe.

Brioche du Carême - Hot Cross Buns ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Kitchen Garden in France and Bella Online

Ingredients:
Dough
1/4 cup water - at room temperature or slightly above
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped, mixed candied fruit
Glaze
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
Icing
1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons water water

Directions:
1) Mix yeast, 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and other spices in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix milk and water together. Combine dry ingredients mixture, liquid ingredients, and butter in a large bowl. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes at medium speed. Add egg and beat 1 more minute. Stir in raisins, fruit, and enough of remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead dough on a floured surface for about 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Use additional flour if necessary. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn over to grease other side of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place. After about 15 minutes, test dough to see if it has risen sufficiently and is ready to be shaped. To test, gently stick two fingers into risen dough up to your second knuckle. Remove fingers. If indentations remain, dough is ready.
2) Divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape pieces into balls and place them 3 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light brown on top. Remove from oven. Place baking sheet full of buns on a wire rack to cool. Prepare glaze, then spread it over the warm buns. Let buns continue to cool on baking sheet. When completely cool, fill a cake decorating bag, fitted with a round tip, with icing. Pipe an icing cross on each bun. Yield: 1 dozen buns.






One Year Ago Today: Frittata with Spring Herbs and Leeks














Two Years Ago Today: White Chocolate Truffles








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Easter Bread with Colored Eggs - Italian Food Forever
Kulich, A Russian Easter Bread - The Winter Guest
Tsoureki Sweet Easter Bread - Culinary Flavors
Braided Easter Bread - Moogie and Pap
Easter Bread - Bobbini's Kitchen
Ciambellone Italian Easter Bread - One Perfect Bite
Kozunak Bulgarian Sweet Easter Bread - Annie's Art Book
Hot Cross Buns - The Cottage Kitchen
Orange Hot Cross Buns - Karen Cooks
Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns - The Baking Beauties