Looking back at my last few posts I came to realize that they all have the word "Spring" in the title. Being as it is only April in The North, I had been hoping but not really expecting actual spring for awhile, but then, all of a sudden, it started to appear.
The weather got warmer and the snow began to melt. Quickly. The back roads were completely cleared, while the streets in town were becoming a muddled, pot-holed and flooded mess. Driving from one end of our small town to another was akin to driving over a speed-bump studded street and took about 15 minutes.
In other areas, new growth was peeping out to greet the sunshine. Walks with the dogs required a sweatshirt and a pair of shades. No toques, no coats, no mitts.
The last ice fishing derby of the season was had and the participants were forced to trudge through the top layer of the thick ice covering the bay that had been reduced to slush. The winning fish was a beautiful 28-inch Northern Pike (or Jackfish, as they call them here), only topping my greatest (and only) catch ever by one inch.
Excess water hasn't been a problem for our little puppies, specifically the one with the white fur. He had been enjoying himself fully in the dips and valleys of our lawn. He was in heaven. We were enjoying the weather (even if the basement kinda sucked and our house was full of muddy dog prints). The promise of summer was in the air.
Imagine our surprise when we woke up to this:
Well, it wasn't surprise, really. I saw it on the forecast. But it still hit hard. A snowy, blustery day is not what I generally imagine when thinking of Easter, but this isn't the first time that I've had to re-evaluate my preconceived notions Up Here, and it won't be the last. Instead of tulips and warm breezes we've got snowflakes and wintry gusts. Sounds like it's time for a warm treat...
Hot Cross Buns
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 heaped teaspoons loose
leaf Earl Grey tea
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 Tablespoons water
2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 of a brick)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Icing sugar
The day before you want to bake the buns (or about 8 hours), heat the milk to simmering and add the tea leaves. I had some nice Earl Grey Lavender tea that I tried, so feel free to experiment a little if the flavours seem like they will match. Steep until the milk has cooled, then strain out the leaves and whisk in 2 cups of flour and all of the yeast. Stir in the currants and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
The day of baking, mix the sugar, egg, butter, salt, cinnamon and cloves into the milk mixture. Caster sugar is just finely ground white sugar, so simply pulse normal sugar in a blender or food processor (although I suspect if you want to skip the grinding step the buns will come out just fine). Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and, using a scraper or hands, bring it to a rough dough in the bowl. Tip it on to an unfloured surface and knead for 30 seconds. Leave covered for 15 minutes, then knead again for 30 seconds. Repeat this once more in 15 minutes, then leave the dough to rest covered in the bowl in a warm place for two hours or until double in size.
Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into tight balls under your palm and place on a large baking tray covered with baking parchment. Cut crosses in the top of each bun. In a warm place, leave covered for about one hour or until the buns are just starting to touch each other.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place buns in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20min until evenly browned and firm to the touch.
Make the glaze by heating the sugar and water in a pan to boiling, stir to dissolve and remove from heat to cool. Brush the baked buns with the glaze soon after they come out of the oven for a great sticky bun topping.
To make the icing combine the cream cheese and lemon juice and add enough icing sugar to create a nice consistency. Pipe in a cross onto the buns once they have mostly cooled.
I found the great recipe quite by accident on this British site which I knew would be good because firstly, the British invented the tasty buns; secondly, the guy's name is Tom Baker; and thirdly, the recipe calls for milk steeped with Earl Grey Tea. I love tea. It all seemed to fit nicely. I adapted the recipe to North American measurements and tweaked a couple of things. I used less currants and added ground cloves, although I suspect the latter might have overpowered my tea flavours, so use it sparingly or not at all if you really want to taste the tea. I also used cream cheese icing for the crosses instead of the flour mixture that Tom Baker suggests, because really, isn't everything better with cheese? Otherwise the recipe is the same and I do not take credit for it in any way. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea (maybe the same one you used in the recipe? Or perhaps a contrasting yet complimenting flavour? I used the same this morning for breakfast and it was quite nice).
2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 of a brick)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Icing sugar
The day before you want to bake the buns (or about 8 hours), heat the milk to simmering and add the tea leaves. I had some nice Earl Grey Lavender tea that I tried, so feel free to experiment a little if the flavours seem like they will match. Steep until the milk has cooled, then strain out the leaves and whisk in 2 cups of flour and all of the yeast. Stir in the currants and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
The day of baking, mix the sugar, egg, butter, salt, cinnamon and cloves into the milk mixture. Caster sugar is just finely ground white sugar, so simply pulse normal sugar in a blender or food processor (although I suspect if you want to skip the grinding step the buns will come out just fine). Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and, using a scraper or hands, bring it to a rough dough in the bowl. Tip it on to an unfloured surface and knead for 30 seconds. Leave covered for 15 minutes, then knead again for 30 seconds. Repeat this once more in 15 minutes, then leave the dough to rest covered in the bowl in a warm place for two hours or until double in size.
Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into tight balls under your palm and place on a large baking tray covered with baking parchment. Cut crosses in the top of each bun. In a warm place, leave covered for about one hour or until the buns are just starting to touch each other.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place buns in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20min until evenly browned and firm to the touch.
Make the glaze by heating the sugar and water in a pan to boiling, stir to dissolve and remove from heat to cool. Brush the baked buns with the glaze soon after they come out of the oven for a great sticky bun topping.
To make the icing combine the cream cheese and lemon juice and add enough icing sugar to create a nice consistency. Pipe in a cross onto the buns once they have mostly cooled.
I found the great recipe quite by accident on this British site which I knew would be good because firstly, the British invented the tasty buns; secondly, the guy's name is Tom Baker; and thirdly, the recipe calls for milk steeped with Earl Grey Tea. I love tea. It all seemed to fit nicely. I adapted the recipe to North American measurements and tweaked a couple of things. I used less currants and added ground cloves, although I suspect the latter might have overpowered my tea flavours, so use it sparingly or not at all if you really want to taste the tea. I also used cream cheese icing for the crosses instead of the flour mixture that Tom Baker suggests, because really, isn't everything better with cheese? Otherwise the recipe is the same and I do not take credit for it in any way. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea (maybe the same one you used in the recipe? Or perhaps a contrasting yet complimenting flavour? I used the same this morning for breakfast and it was quite nice).
Lastly today, on this beautiful spring holiday, I offer you this little gem that I discovered while dining at a friend's place. I had heard of partnering strawberry and balsamic but had never gotten around to trying it. My lovely friend served it for dessert after a beautiful main course of homemade pizza (beets on pizza! I never would have thought! She put them with figs and goat cheese. Divine). The best thing about this dessert is that it's so sophisticated and innovative, yet darn simple! Pour some balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and lightly boil until reduced by about half. You don't want it to thicken because then it will clump up when it hits the cold ice cream (this kind of happened here, so I know to reduce less next time). Let the reduction cool and pour over vanilla ice cream and cut up strawberries. Top with pine nuts. See how easy that was? You can even reduce a whole lot of vinegar and store it in the fridge for the next time, then its an instant "grown-up" sundae. So good.
Happy Easter to all from the Blustery North!
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