HOT CROSS BUNS

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
1/2 cup currants or dark raisins
2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
Almond Icing (recipe follows)

Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until 120 to 130 degrees F (Butter may not melt completely.) Blend beaten egg into milk mixture.

Fit processor with steel blade. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the yeast and cinnamon into work bowl. Process on/off 2 or 3 times to mix.

Turn on processor and add milk mixture through feed tube. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds.

Turn on processor and add enough of the remaining flour through feed tube so dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl. Process until ball turns around bowl about 25 times. Dough should be soft, smooth and satiny but not sticky.

Turn dough onto lightly greased surface. Knead currants and orange peel into dough. Shape into ball and place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place (85 degrees F) until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Divide dough into 18 equal parts. Shape each part into a smooth ball. Place balls 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.

Beat egg and water with a fork. Brush egg mixture over each bun. Let stand in warm place until almost doubled, 30 to 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare Almond Icing.

Bake buns until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove buns immediately from cookie sheets and place on wire rack. Cool 5 minutes. Drizzle Almond Icing over each bun to form a cross.

ALMOND ICING

1 1/3 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon hot water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Stir ingredients for the icing together until smooth.

Makes 18 buns
From: Recipelink.com
Source: Recipe booklet: Fast and Easy Breads and Quick Breads with Your Food Processor, Favorite Recipes Magazine, No. 16, 1986