Hot Cross Buns

[foodnfoto]

Does anyone have a really killer recipe for hot cross buns that they'd like to share?
I make them for Easter every year following the basic recipe in "Joy", but they are only OK. Many recipes call for cinnamon in the dough, which I can't stand! The combination of cinnamon in yeasted bread always gives out a gassy, kind of petroleum aftertaste to me. Many recipes call for all those sweet, goopy green and red candied cherries-yuck. Often the recipes are too dry, or dull, or tough. Just can't seem to get it right.
I'd love any help with this one.
Thanks

[stir it up]

go here foodnfoto

Wild Yeast

it is a wonderful blog from a woman who went to sfbi (San Francisco Baking Institute). She has a section on Hot Cross Buns, good photos, good instructions. Her formulas are generally very well developed. I haven't made the Hot Cross Buns from her site yet.

Ack, now you got that darned song going through my head!



she does have a tiny bit of cinnamon in the dough. I fresh grind it from cinnamon sticks versus cassia, I don't know if that helps or not with what you're talking about.

She has a beautiful section on pannetone, if you go to the December 2007 archives, maybe that could also help in what you're considering for the dough.

[foodnfoto]

Thanks Stir It Up

Looks good!

.....One a penny, two a penny....

[Free Rider]

I use the recipe on the King Arthur Flour web site. I took a bunch down to some friends of mine in Mexico and they really liked them. Asked me to make them for sale in their shop. I use the recipe called "easiest" or some such. It does require cinnamon, but I only use true cinnamon (Ceylon), not cassia.

Last night, I looked at the recipe in Bo Friberg's book and it looked interesting. Thought about trying that next. I never put icing on the buns though. Seems to be an American thing, but no thanks. I slash for the cross.