Hot Cross Buns

In many historically Christian countries, Hot Cross buns are traditionally eaten hot or toasted on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of The Crucifixion of Christ.

They are a delicious sweet bread with candied fruit and raisins, best served the day they are made.

I went all out this easter and made all the traditional foods, not what we would eat in  Portugal since we have Folares de Pasqua, but this British tradition is pretty tasty too!

I adapted my recipe from King Arthur Flour's Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Buns

• 2 ounces rum
• 2 3/4 ounces mixed dried fruit
• 2 3/4 ounces raisins or dried currants
• 10 ounces milk, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, 1 separated
• 3 ounces butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 7/8 ounces light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 21 ounces flour (plus more as needed)

Topping

1 egg white (Saved from above)
1/2 ounce milk

Icing

• 4 1/2 ounces confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing
Directions
1)      Lightly grease a 10" square pan or 9" x 13" pan.
2) Mix the rum or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm, and the plastic starts to "shrink wrap" itself over the top of the bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Note: If you worry about using plastic wrap in your microwave, simply cover the bowl with a glass lid. 3) When the fruit is cool, mix together all of the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead, using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the dough is soft and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed. 4) Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.

5) Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A heaped muffin scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. You'll make 12 to 14 buns. Use your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan.  6) Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they've puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. 7) Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns. 8) Bake the buns for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool. 9) Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun. OR you can just do what I did and drizzle the delicious topping all over! Yum!

Lamb of God

Have you ever wondered why we eat lamb during Easter Sunday? If you are a regular at mass you will recall hearing  "Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world." The Christians often refer to Jesus as The Lamb of God, the lamb that fell to save the sheep, so it seems appropriate that we celebrate Easter with this special meal.

This year I cooked my first leg of lamb (no joke- I had never done it before) and I have to say it was delicious. I adapted a recipe from The Flavor Lab  and it was the most amazing lamb ever! Scroll down for this succulent Easter meal.

For Crust:

1 slice of bread

2 TBS Oregano

1 bunch of fresh parsley

3 TBS Dijon mustard
50g Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup walnuts
3 TBS olive oil

2 TBS minced garlic

1. Blend all these ingredients in a food processor untill it looks like crumbs.

Lamb Ingredients:

Crust recipe above

1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper

1 leg of lamb

1. Place the leg of lamb in a deep cooking dish. Cook the sides of the lamb to seal it, just a few minutes.

2. Rub the crust all over the lamb and leave it in the fridge (lid closed or wrapped in plastic) for 2 days.

3. When ready to cook the lamb, pour the white wine in the dish and bake in the oven with the lid on top at 220F until the meat is cooked and no longer red, you want the eat to be slightly pink. (1.5-2 hours).

Enjoy with some Israeli couscous for a final Mediterranean touch.