Easter's On Its Way

I've had a fun time getting ready for Easter

this year.  On Friday, I made Hot Cross Buns.  I tried

them last year too, but they were a dismal failure.

Me and yeast breads.....we have a love hate relationship.

I searched around for a new recipe and voila!

They turned out perfectly.  They were light and tender

and very delicious. They aren't too sweet and

they have currants in them, which isn't an ingredient

I use very often.  Hot Cross Buns are a traditional 

Easter bread served in England on Good Friday.

I think from now on they will be served in my

house too.  Mark really enjoyed them.

Have you ever heard the little nursery rhyme that

goes with them?

Hot Cross buns!  Hot Cross buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot Cross buns?

If your daughters won't eat them,

Give them to your sons;

But if you have none of those little elves,

Then you must eat them all yourselves!

Hot Cross Buns

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)

3 T. butter

1 T. instant powdered milk

1/4 cup white sugar

3/8 t. salt

1 egg

1 egg white

3 cups flour

1 T. active dry yeast

3/4 cup currants

1 t. cinnamon

1 egg yolk

2 T. water

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 t. vanilla extract

2 t. milk

Place warm water, butter, milk powder, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white

flour and yeast in Bosch or bread mixer in that order.  Mix and after a

few minutes add currants and cinnamon.  Mix and knead for about

8 - 10 min.  Place in bowl and cover.  Put in warm place to rise until

double.  Punch down on floured surface. Cover and let rise 10 min.

Shape into 12 - 15 balls and place in greased 9x13 pan.  Cover and 

let rise until double in warm place - about 35 min.

Mix egg yolk and water.  Brush on balls of dough.  Bake at

375 for 20 min.  Remove from pan immediately and cool

on rack.  Mix together sugar, vanilla and milk and put 

glaze in piping bag.  Pipe x's on each roll.

I decided I wanted to dye some eggs and I used

natural dyes instead of  food coloring. It was fun

to see how they turned out.  I mixed up the dye from items

I had in the kitchen and let the eggs soak in mason jars 

most of the day.  

This beautiful yellow egg came from soaking in 

dye made from the spice - turmeric.

I loved the tan color and crackly surface of

the eggs dyed in beet juice.   The dye

was dark purple, but the egg turned out light brown.

This beautiful blue egg was soaked in

dye made from red cabbage.

And this orange egg was the result of 

soaking in a dye made from yellow onion skins.

I thought they were all beautiful.

* Goal # 23 - Try 50 new recipes