From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make Hot Cross Buns to serve on Good Friday every year. While I have the date down pat, the rolls I make are never the same. I keep trying to perfect the recipe so I'll have rolls that are as light and flavorful as they are symbolic. Most of the recipes I've tried, produce dense, heavy, rolls that are not to my liking, so I've been experimenting with the way I measure the flour used to make the dough. I've found that using the fluff, spoon and level method works best for me, and this year's rolls are lighter than they have been in years past. My first encounter with the buns was the pre-packaged variety that came from the grocery store wrapped 12 to a package. They were soft spongy affairs and the only thing that separated them from similarly wrapped dinner rolls was a handful of raisins, a hint of cinnamon and the confectioners' sugar cross that gave them their name. They had nothing to commend them, but they became so much a part of my food memory that I can't imagine Good Friday without Hot Cross Buns. Over the years, I've tried lots of recipes in varied places and this year I think I've found my keeper. I really like these rolls. Next year, I'll substitute additional raisins for the mixed peel in the recipe below. I also plan to plump the raisins in an orange liqueur before I work them into the dough. I think you'll like these buns as much as I do. Here is how they are made.
