Hot cross buns (low-fat)

 

     Not just for Easter. You'll find yourself wanting to make these classic sweet and pungent buns year-round.

Makes 24 buns

• 2 envelopes active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup dried currants

Sugar glaze

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 4 teaspoons milk

1. Sprinkle yeast over ¼ cup of the warm milk in small bowl ; stir to dissolve yeast ; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes (not necessary if using instant dried yeast for bread machine).
2. Whisk together 4 cups flour, sugar,salt, orange rind, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg in large bowl ; beat together yeast mixture, butter, eggs, vanilla and remaining ¾ cup milk in another bowl.
3. Stir liquid ingredients into dry to form a ball.
4. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface ; knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
5. Knead in currants until well incorporated ; transfer to large, grease bowl and turn to coat.
6. Cover bowl with a clean towel ; let rise in warm place, away from drafts, until almost double, about 1½ hours.
7. Punch dough down ; divide dough in half.
8. Roll each half into 12-inch-long log ; cut each log into twelve 1-inch pieces.
9. With hand cupped, roll each piece into ball on unfloured work surface ; transfer each ball to greased baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
10. Cover with damp cloth ; let rise in warm place, away from drafts, until almost double in bulk, about 1 hour.
11. Preheat oven to 400F.
12. Bake buns in preheated oven for 10 minutes ; lower oven temperature to 350F and bake another 10 minutes or until golden.
13. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
14. Meanwhile, stir icing sugar and milk in small bowl until good drizzling consistency ; when buns are cool, drizzle cross on the top of each with glaze.

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