The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-27
HOT CROSS BUN
GIVES LENT AN
old TRADITION
Two Good Methods Provide
Home Bakers Choice
of Processes.

The custom Of eating hot cross
buns originated before Mother
Goose ever wrote about them In
very ancient days buns, If properly
made, we're supposed to keep for
years. They probably took the place
Of pagan sweetmeat served in honor
of Eastre. Saxon goddess of fer
tility whose feast was celebrated in
the spring. The sign of the cross
on the bun proclaimed 1t Christian
cake. Often the housewife put the
sign of the cross on her bread to
prevent the evil spirit from interfer-
ing with her baking. AS Good Fri
day was considered the most I'M
lucky day Of the year, she naturally
took every precaution to guard
against evil influences.
Many bakers feature this bread
every Friday during the whole Len
ten season, while others save them
especially for Good Friday and
Easter mornings.
Because hot cross buns are made
with yeast there are, or course, two
good methods-the long process and
the short one.
Short Process
One cup milk, / yeast cake, Il
cup lukewarm water, 1-3 cup gran
ulated sugar, cups flour, tea
spoon salt, teaspoon cinnamon, a
cup butter, egg, Il cup currants.
Scald milk and cool to lukewarm
temperature. Dissolve yeast cake
In lukewarm water and add to milk.
Add sugar salt, cinnamon and egg
well beaten. Add flour, currants,
and softened butter and work until
thoroughly blended. Knead to a
smooth dough and let rise in
warm place until double in bulk.
The temperature of this rising
should be between 10 and 30 de-
grees F.. 1t should take about one
hour. Pinch off small pieces and
shape in tiny balls. With a sharp
knife cut two deep gashes, making
a cross, on the top of each. Place
in a buttered pan about an inch
apart and let rise in warm place
until double in bulk. Bake twenty
five minutes in a hot oven (375 de-
grees F0 Brush over with a syrup
made by boiling Il cup sugar with
tablespoons water for one minute.
Long Process
One and one-half cups milk, 1-3
cup graduated sugar, 4 tablespoons
butter, l teaspoon salt, Y yeast
cake, tablespoons lukewarm water,
teaspoon cinnamon, l egg, Y cup
currants, flour.
Scald milk and add butter, salt
and sugar. When lukewarm, adj
yeast cake dissolved in water. Add
2is cups flour mixed and sifted with
cinnamon. Beat hard and add egg
well beaten. Mix thoroughly and
add currants and flour to knead,
from 70 to l cup more. Knead I'M
til elastic and put into large mix
ing bowl. Cover with cloth and let
rise in a warm place (not as warm
as for short process, however) over
night. In the morning, shape as in
preceding recipe. Let rise in warm
place for thirty minutes. Bake in a
hot oven for twenty-five minutes.
3 .sh over with syrup when taken
from the oven.
Potato omelet is a delicious break
fast dish to serve with hot cross
buns and coffee.
Potato Omelet
One cup leftover mashed pota-
toes, eggs, 2 tablespoons milk, u
teaspoon salt, u teaspoon pepper,
l tablespoon minced parsley.
Beat, whites and yolks of eggs
separately. Beat yolks until thick,
beating in mashed potato. Season
with salt, pepper and parsley and
fold in whites of eggs beaten Until
stiff. Turn into hot frying pan
we'll coated with butter and cook
over a low fire until we'll puffed and
delicately brown on the bottom.
Finish cooking in the oven. When
firm to the touch, the omelet is
done. Fold on to a hot platter and
garnish with sprigs of parsley to
serve.