It had only been a couple of months since we’d trekked to the other side of the world and were settling into our new home in Australia. Easter was upon as and it would also be our first holiday away from home. I was still climbing the learning curve of navigating grocery stores, bakeries, coffee shops, and bottle shops, deciphering what to buy where, substitutes for my pantry’s staples, as well as cultural food trends and customs. We had a road trip down the east coast of Australia booked for the Easter holiday and I was inclined to pack up some nostalgic familiarity, in an effort to combat the homesickness that was creeping up on all of us.

Our cooler stored some traditional holiday meal items, like my mom’s vegetable salad, with hints of slightly varied flavor profiles, reflecting the different ingredients found in our local grocery store, Woolworth’s (Woolie’s). We wanted to mix old and new and so the excitement of being in a foreign country sparked an interest to introduce an Aussie holiday go-to. For at least one month leading up to Easter, any venue selling sweet treats carried an abundance of hot cross buns. I didn’t know at the time that when I picked some up from the bakery down the street, this pastry would forever be on our Easter menu.

While previously unfamiliar with hot cross buns, other than tapping it out on a piano as a seven-year-old, I didn’t realize its popularity as an Easter confectionery found in every bake shop across Australia (although originally from England). Light and fluffy, carrying a delicate sweetness, these warm buns were well loved by us all.

Today, it’s a little piece of Australia that we brought home and is our reminder of that wonderful time in our lives, that we love to share with others. Food is beautiful for its ability to spark reminiscence of warm memories and sometimes create a longing to return.

I have made this into a mini-version when served as part of the whole Easter meal, but one could easily roll the dough into larger rolls to be served as the compliment to an afternoon coffee or tea.

 

Makes 28-32, or if rolled larger, 15

Ingredients:

Buns:

• 1 ½ cups warmed buttermilk (can heat in the microwave for 30 seconds)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast (*be sure it’s not expired or the dough will not rise)
• 4 ¼ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 eggs – room temperature
• 4 Tablespoons butter – room temperature
• 1 cup raisins (soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drained)

Simple syrup glaze:

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar

Cream Cheese Icing for Crosses:

• ½ cup sifted powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ – 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

To the warmed buttermilk, add the yeast and sugar and stir. Let sit until it starts to bubble, about 5-10 minutes. In a stand mixer with a hook attachment, add 4 cups of flour, salt, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and orange zest. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs and butter and mix until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix well. Then add the drained raisins. Add the remaining ¼ cup of flour and mix until the dough begins to form a ball. Prepare a separate bowl and drizzle with a little bit of oil, like vegetable oil. With floured hands, pull the ball from the stand mixer and transfer to the prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size. This can take a couple of hours, I usually let mine sit in a warm spot for 3-4 hours.

Punch down the dough and on a floured surface, divide in half, into two balls. Then split into two again, then in 4 and then each fourth, into two, totaling 32 balls. When forming a roll, round into a ball and tuck the bottom in. You can make more rolls if you prefer, I’ve made 28 and that also works great. Transfer them to a large pan that’s buttered or lightly sprayed – I used a focaccia baker for its substantial size, approximately 12”x13”. Cover with a damp cloth and let is rise again for about 1 hour. Bake in a 375°F preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

While baking, make the simply syrup, adding the sugar to water on the stovetop in a small pot, until it comes to a boil and the sugar dissolves into the water. Remove from heat.

As soon as the buns are pulled from the oven, brush the simple syrup glaze on top.

While letting the buns cool, prepare the cream cheese icing. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and orange juice. Whisk well (may need to add more sugar or orange juice, depending on the consistency), until its very smooth and thick enough to pipe over the buns. Transfer to a small plastic bag and cut a small slit on the bottom corner. (If necessary, place in fridge allow it to firm up a bit.) Pipe a cross over each bun.