Grandma Jean always made these for Easter, so they are a tradition in our house as well. They are the best made on Easter morning, but can be made the day before and reheated before frosting. I use about a third whole wheat flour in memory of Jean, and always use currants, which is what makes them special – so don’t cheat and substitute raisins.
Mom
Buns:
- 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup currants
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temp
- 1 tablespoon milk
Combine cooled milk, butter, honey, eggs, currants, salt, flour, cinnamon, cardamom and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low for 10 minutes, adding up to 1/4 cup additional flour to prevent sticking, if needed. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Place in a large greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Divide dough into 18 portions. Shape into round buns and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise unto doubled.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush rolls with reserved egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
Combine frosting ingredients and blend until smooth. Fill piping bag with round tip, or plastic bag with the corner cut off. Pipe a lowercase “t” onto buns;)
Spencer Family Cookbook 