Hot cross buns!! Do you remember that nursery rhyme? It really stands out to me every Easter because I make the savory version to serve with our traditional ham, decadent potatoes, peas and carrots, salami pie, with carrot cake for dessert. I even served a Cottontail Cocktail with it this year and it brought out the flavor of the raisins and currants in the buns. If you've never tried them or had them, try this recipe!! Share them with your family! And "If you have no daughters, feed them to your sons. One a penny, two a penny, HOT CROSS BUNS!!"

SAVORY HOT CROSS BUNS

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 dried currants

1 1/4 cups milk

2 large eggs, plus one egg yolk (save the white for later)

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 pkg fast rising yeast

1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tbs ground cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp sea salt

1 tbs baking powder

4 1/2 cups flour

for the baste:

1 large egg white

2 tbs milk

for after they are baked:

4 tbs melted butter

Combine the raisins, currants, and apple juice in a small sauce pan, and bring to a small boil, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm, and then remove from heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature. When the fruit mixture is cool, mix together all of the remaining ingredients except the milk and fruit. Heat the milk to just warm - don't boil it - and add to the dough mixture. Fold in the fruit and apple juice mixture. Let the dough rise for an hour, covered.
Using a greased ice cream scoop, form about 12 to 14 buns, and arrange them into a greased 9x13 pan. Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for another hour, or until they've puffed up and are touching each another. Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it liberally over the buns. Bake the buns at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove from the oven, baste with the melted butter, and transfer to a rack to cool.

NOTES: These are usually served with less savory spices, and with different types of dried fruits. It usually has a sweet cream cheese frosting drizzled ver it in the shape of a cross; hence the name! In this instance, I made them much more savory and skipped the sweet frosting and I. Am. Telling. YOU. They were insanely good - like, RIDICULOUS good.