Step 1
| 1 cup • Milk |
| 2 tbsp • Butter |
| 1 • package Active dry yeast |
| 1/4 cup • Warm water • 110°F to 115°F |
| 4 cups • Flour |
| 1/3 cup • Sugar |
| 1 tsp • Salt |
| 1 tsp • Cinnamon |
| 1 cup • California raisins or Zante currants |
| 2 • Eggs • well beaten |
| 1 • egg yolk, diluted with 1 teaspoon water for topping |
Scald milk; stir in butter and cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sift flour with sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in raisins until well coated. Stir in eggs, cooled milk and yeast; blend well. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down dough, pinch off pieces, and form smooth, rounded balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place balls of dough on greased baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Brush each bun with diluted egg yolk. Snip 1/2-inch deep cross in center of each bun with greased scissors. Let buns rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 400°F for about 8 to 10 minutes or until buns look lightly browned. Cool on wire racks about 5 minutes. Drizzle on icing to make the cross.