Recipe: Cranberry Buns (with raisins, pecans & orange peel)

CRANBERRY BUNS

1 cup milk
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temperature
1 pkg. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
Cranberry Filling (recipe follows)
Confectioner's Sugar Frosting (recipe follows)

In a saucepan scald the milk. Cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon peel. Cut in the butter; set aside.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add to flour mixture. Then add milk and eggs. Cover dough and let rise for at least 2 hours.

Divide dough in half. On a floured board, roll a dough half into a 8x15-inch rectangle.

Spread filling on dough. Fold dough into a 3-layer strip 15-inches long. Cut dough into 13 strips. Hold ends of each strip and twist lightly in opposite directions. Pinch the ends to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining half of dough.

Bake in oven 10-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Frost with confectioner's sugar frosting.

CRANBERRY FILLING

1 1/2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons orange peel, grated

In a saucepan combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for five minutes. Cool.

CONFECTIONER'S SUGAR FROSTING

2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl beat together all ingredients until just slightly runny.

Spread the frosting on top of each bun after baking. Garnish with a cranberry.

Makes 13 buns
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Conduit Press
Source: Nantucket's Bounty by Katie Moose