Hot Cross Bun (ny)

Happy Good Friday Everyone! I made hot cross buns the other day when trying to find an Easter recipe that didn't involve me buying a huge ham. I wanted to make bread again so I had a 4 hour break and that was just enough time to mix, knead, form, and bake bread :) This is probably the easiest quarter by far. I have so many half days and I don't have much to study. Today I start clinic at 2. Hopefully there are some exciting cases in oral surgery today that I can get my hands on... so that meant that I had the whole morning off. Last night was another night out, came back late, and slept until 9... finally some quiet time in my apartment situation. I got up and ran the Webster hill a few times and then took a wonderfully slow stroll around the neighborhood. It was a perfect day. The sky was blue, the air a tad brisk, but it didn't stop me from tanning my legs. It's been awhile since they've seen sunlight.. haha what a change since LA. 


Anyway, hot cross buns. I had no idea this was an Easter tradition. This was probably one of the first song that I learned how to play on the piano when I was 4. Oh the memories.... It only had 3 notes! I used the Tangzhong (Water-roux) method to make this. I think my yeast might have been a tad dead because the last time I used this method, my dough over-rose.... But, it still resulted in a very delicious bread. There is a science behind this water flour mixture that I haven't figure out, maybe because I don't actually have a thermometer... :/ I was supposed to head it up to 65 degrees, so I used some tricks I read on people's blogs about when it coats the spoon... and go a little more when you start seeing the bottom of the pan. I don't know. One day I will figure it out, but this bread is very close to the ones you find in chinese bakeries. I used my KA mixer - Pierre Escargot, to knead the dough. I don't like kneading dough using my mixer, but was too lazy to wait for the bread machine. It would have taken 1.5 hours to knead and rise the dough in the bread maker.... oh well maybe next time. 

I decided to make different shapes for the breads.. one involved a bunny... well what I thought looked like a bunny. It rose funny.. and baked even funnier... aka lopsided.. I haven't had to heart to tear off its ears yet... but that time is coming soon... I'm done eating all the rolls and the braided loaf :) 

http://kirbiecravings.com/2010/12/milk-bread-take-2.html

Changes: added 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 cup raisins soaked in hot water until plumped ( drain it before adding it to the bread)


Update: It was a GOOD Friday :) Accomplished a lot today even took out a few teeth! Nothing like celebrating my last oral surgery block of 2nd year with a few extractions!... Next time... I'll be running the show as a Senior :)