March Recipes

I really liked Megan's idea for the January post in offering a choice of three recipes, and since I had a hard time choosing between two for the March challenge, I thought I'd do the same. Even though we're expecting a foot of snow over the next twenty-four hours, I'm already in a spring state of mind. Bring on the crocuses, thunderstorms, and Patriots Day (my only spring holiday from work!).

With that in mind, I'm proposing two recipes with a distinctly spring slant - both borrowed from the King Arthur website, which has a lot of other good seasonal recipe ideas. Anyhow, the first is for Irish Soda Bread Muffins, in honor of the upcoming St. Patty's Day. I've always loved Irish soda bread, but who wouldn't agree that muffins are easier to eat?

The second recipe is for Hot Cross Buns, an Easter favorite for many. I'm pretty sure there is some symbolism here (with the cross of icing and all), but regardless, these make for a very yummy breakfast item. They also offer an opportunity to work with yeast, which I freely admit I have yet to master.

Without further ado, the recipes:


Irish Soda Bread Muffins
* 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
* 3/4 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 cups currants (first choice) or raisins
* 1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream
* 6 tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* sparkling white sugar, for topping


Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.
2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent).
4) Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won't take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.
5) Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full; the stiff batter will look mounded in the cups. Top with sparkling white sugar, if desired.
6) Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove them from the oven. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottoms don't get soggy. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam.


Hot Cross Buns

Buns
* 1/4 cup apple juice or rum
* 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit
* 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants
* 1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
* 3 large eggs, 1 separated
* 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 2 teaspoons instant yeast
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 4 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Topping
* 1 large egg white, reserved from above
* 1 tablespoon milk
Icing
* 1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* pinch of salt
* 4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing


Directions
1) Lightly grease a 10" square pan or 9" x 13" pan.
2) Mix the rum or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are very warm, and the plastic starts to "shrink wrap" itself over the top of the bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3) When the fruit is cool, mix together all of the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead, using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the dough is soft and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed.
4) Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.
5) Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A heaped muffin scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. You'll make 12 to 14 buns. Use your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan.
6) Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they've puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
7) Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns.
8) Bake the buns for 20 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.
9) Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun.