Eggless Hot Cross Buns with Cranberries/Easter Special Hot Cross Buns

Wiki says that A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun made with currants or raisins, marked with a cross on the top, and traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and India. The buns mark the end of Lent and different parts of the hot cross bun have a certain meaning, including the cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him at his burial.They are now available all year round in some places.Hot cross buns may go on sale in Australia and New Zealand as early as New Year's Day or after Christmas. I have been looking for a chance to bake some Hot cross buns since a long. Finally i did this ultimate spiced, cranberries loaded buns, these buns are completely egg free but i dont want to skip the butter.

 Obviously this buns came out extremely fabulous and filled with spices.Though i used cranberries, traditionally Hot cross buns are usually studded with currants (raisins) and candied fruit. I preferred doing two strips using both flour paste and icing sugar glaze however you can definitely skip the flour paste or else the icing sugar glaze or vice versa. After baking, i simply burshed the buns with a honey glaze to give the sweetness and a super shine. Am so happy to see this Easter Special buns turned out extremely prefect and even my younger one who doesnt like cranberries enjoyed this bun thoroughly.

3+1/2cups Bread flour
75grams Butter
1cup Luke warm milk
1tbsp Instant yeast
1/2tsp Salt
1/2tsp Cinnamon powder
1/4tsp Nutmeg powder
1/4tsp Clove powder
1/4cup Sugar
1/4cup Honey
1/2cup Cranberries

For Cross:
3tbsp Flour
2tbsp Water

Honey Glaze:
1tbsp Honey
1tsp Water

For Sugar cross:
1cup Icing sugar
1tbsp Water

Take the flour, yeast.cinnamon powder,nutmeg powder,clove powder, sugar,salt in a bowl.

Add the lukewarm milk, honey, butter and knead everything well until the dough turns soft and stiff dough.

Grease a bowl, drop the dough, wrap it and arrange in a warm place until its gets double in volume.

Soak the cranberries in a warm water for half an hour, drain the cranberries,keep aside.

Punch the dough and add the cranberries, now knead the dough again for 5minutes.

Divide the dough into 9 equal balls, shape them well and place in a baking tray lined with a baking sheet with enough space in between. Cover the dough with a towel and let it sit for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile make a thick paste of flour and water and fill this in a ziplock bag. Make cross over each bun.

Preheat the oven for 350F and bake these buns for 20 min or until the crust turns golden brown. Now prepare the honey glaze and brush the top of the buns generously.

Transfer to wire rack and allow it to cool completely.

Now prepare the icing sugar glaze and filled it in piping bag, pipe again the cross on the top of the buns.

Enjoy.