glo knows her buns!

way back when gloria and i were roommates in cambridge, she would make these cinnamon buns. they are TOO DIE FOR! so here we are, now on the west coast and bringing back the buns! YUMs all around!

kneading that dough!

here's the dough rolled out with the butter, cinnamon, and sugar....

drizzled with the frosting! and done!

got sourdough?

my friend kristine approached me with the fantastic idea to take a sourdough bread making class at mayfield bakery. it was a fabulous learning experience. we learned all about making starters, feeding the starters and making bread- the batan and boule. it is hard work. we decided we will need to get together to actually master this sourdough one of these days. but it is such a high maintenance bread... but, SO good!

hot crossed buns, hot crossed buns...

... one a penny, two a penny, hot crossed buns!

every easter my grandmother makes her most delicious hot crossed buns. i haven't been home for easter in years. one year though, she managed to send me some. i love them. this year i decided to make my own. i was surprised at how well they turned out.

the famous recipe:


1/2 cup water
4 tsp. sugar
4 tbsp yeast ( 4 Pkges)

Put the above together & let set for 10 minutes. While you do the following:


Mix together:
1 cup soft butter (or marg)

1 cup sugar, add
1 cup warm milk ,

1 and 1/2 cup mashed potatoes (made ahead of time)

2 tsp salt,
4 eggs,
2 cups currants,
2 tsp cinnamon,
2/3 to 1 tsp nutmeg,
6 cups flour.

By this time the yeast has probably risen enough to stir down and add to the above as well as about 3 cups flour . Mix until smooth Then add rest of flour about 3 cups and knead well.

Let rise about 1 to 2 hours (double its size)

Then plop out on counter top & press or punch down and put into buns (I cut mine with a glass). Let rise a bit. Bake at 350F about 15 plus minutes.

FROSTING:
2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)

1/4 cup of more butter
1 tsp vanilla

boiling water added a tsp at a time to make a thin spreadable consistency to make the cross with.