Hot Cross Buns-no yeast

This was a Good Friday/Easter tradition for me when I was growing up.  My mother would make them when we lived here in the United States–you can find that recipe here.  When we moved back to India, we would get them from Nahoum’s,  Kolkata’s first Jewish bakery in  Hogg Market, or better known as “New Market.”  This year, amidst the COVID19 crisis, finding yeast was impossible.   After reading a few “no-yeast” recipes, I combined a few different recipes and came up with this.  I was pleasantly surprised with the results!  Please make these buns, this week and here is hoping that next year I will have access to yeast, to make a huge batch and share with loved ones.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus an additional 2-4 tbsp of flour for the kneading process
• 2 teaspoons baking powder, make sure it’s not expired, or it won’t rise
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Zest of 1 small mandarin orange (any orange will do, the amount of zest should be approximately 1/2tsp)
• Zest of half of 1 lemon (1/4 tsp of lemon)
• 1 egg, the egg white goes in the dough, save the yolk for the egg wash
• 3/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt, not regular yogurt, it will be too sticky
• 1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 3 tablespoon raisins (but really, should you measure raisins? Just add as much as you like, but know that some might fall out of the dough during the kneading process)
• 1/8 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon milk or water

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Place parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet. If using parchment paper, spray with oil to avoid sticking.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, spices, zest, raisins and salt and whisk well.

Add the yogurt, milk, and egg white in a bowl, mix with a fork or whisk until well combined.

Using the additional flour, lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 10 to 15 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).

Divide into 8 equal balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Top with egg wash (leftover egg yolk with a few drops of water).

 

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before icing.

 

 

For the icing,  whisk the powdered sugar with milk, in a bowl, until smooth. Transfer to a small ziplock bag and cut the tip. Ice the tops of the rolls in a cross pattern.

 

 

I was not patient enough to wait as you can see from the pictures, my icing started to melt off when I applied it.  No worries, it still tastes delicious!!!