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Breaking Bread Celebration breads from savory to sweet bring most every culture together
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uring holidays when you gather with family and friends, there’s only one thing that’s more guaranteed than having to scout out potential post-meal nap spots, and that’s having an abundance of food. And no matter which holidays you celebrate, there is often bread on the table. From fancier options such as braided challah to the utility players that are dinner rolls, bread has the ability to tie the entire meal together. With the ubiquity of bread, it’s not a surprise that every culture has its great bread traditions. In their new book, “Holiday and Celebration Bread in 5 Minutes a Day: Sweet and Decadent Baking for Every Occasion,” Zoë François and Jeff Hertzberg share approachable baking methods to create savory and sweet breads for every occasion. Here are recipes from their book to try out at your next spring holiday gathering or anytime you want to enjoy home-baked treats. —Kyle Smelter
Hot Cross Buns MAKES 27 BUNS (3 BATCHES OF 9 BUNS EACH)
1½ cups lukewarm water (100°F or below) 1 tablespoon granulated yeast 1 tablespoon kosher salt 8 large eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup honey 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for greasing the pan 7½ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground allspice 2 teaspoons orange zest, grated 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1½ cups currants or raisins egg wash (1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water), for brushing buns Icing 4 ounces cream cheese 2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup confectioners’ sugar ¼ cup maple syrup 1. Mix the water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter in a 6-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container. 2. Mix in the flour, spices, zest, vanilla extract and raisins without kneading, using a spoon or a heavy-duty stand mixer
4 real food spring 2019
(with paddle). If you’re not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour. The dough will be loose but will firm up when chilled; don’t try to work with it before chilling. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate. 3. The dough can be used as soon as it’s thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours. Refrigerate the container and use over the next 5 days. 4. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (cantaloupe-size) piece. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces and quickly shape into balls. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for about 45 minutes. 5. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack placed in the center of the oven. 6. Brush the tops with egg wash and place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until richly browned. 7. To make the icing, mix the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup in a small bowl. 8. Allow to cool completely. Pipe the icing in a cross over the top of each bun. There will be extra icing for spreading on the buns.
AVOCADOS MAXIMLESHKOVICH - FOTOLIA.COM
These crowd-pleasing buns hail from the British Isles, where they are eaten on Good Friday. Even before the introduction of Christianity to England, Saxons made buns marked with a cross to celebrate the goddess Eostre, the namesake of this holiday, a tradition which was later incorporated into the celebration of the Resurrection. Many legends surround hot cross buns. For example, some believe that hot cross buns baked for Easter will never go bad and can be kept as a good luck charm. Some chefs even claim that keeping a leftover bun hanging in the kitchen prevents breads from getting burnt. We think an oven timer works better for that, but we do know that this recipe will satisfy your Easter sweet tooth every year.
