‘The Pioneer Woman’: Ree Drummond’s Hot Cross Buns Recipe Revisits a ‘Warm Childhood Memory’
Ree Drummond loves to revisit childhood memories as the star of Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman. She uses food to recall happy times spent with family and friends. One of her favorite seasons is Spring and the foods connected with the Easter season. A comforting and sentimental recipe is Ree Drummond’s recipe for Hot Cross Buns, which are tender and flaky rolls studded with dried fruit, and feature a stiff white icing.
Ree Drummond reveals why she adores the season of renewal
In her book “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays,” Drummond explained her reasons why she adores the season of renewal. She claims Easter is “right up there” with her very favorite holidays.
“I love Easter because I feel it so intimately and acutely, The gorgeousness of the Earth, the family-centered traditions and just the beautiful solemnity of the day,” she wrote.
“Dyeing eggs, decorating treats, and filling plastic Easter eggs with candy and coins for the big hunt at church” are other reasons why The Pioneer Woman star loves the holiday so much.
“It’s also partly due to the time of year. After a long, grown, gnarly winter, the earth bursts forth with vibrant new life. The spring rains come, the grass grows, the tulips bloom, the bluebirds sing, and the Oklahoma redbuds dot the countryside with proud splashes of purple,” Drummond exclaimed.
“Easter is when I get out my crazy gardening lady hat and dig out my gloves and go berserk. By the time spring arrives, I’m always ready to plant the biggest, most abundant garden in the country. Then I completely forget that by the end of July, I’ll be cursing my horticultural ambition.”
Ree Drummond talks about her love for Hot Cross Buns
“On the Hot Cross Buns front, you’ll love these delicious and meaningful treasures,” she wrote in her book.
“Tradition says that if you deliver hot cross buns to others on Good Friday, you’ll have blessings and friendships all year round. And while I haven’t held scientific studies to prove this absolutely, I have a sneaking suspicion it’s true,” she explained.
How to make Ree Drummond’s Hot Cross Buns
It is essential to follow the same method as one would use when preparing any delicious baked good that needs time to rise. This method includes proofing yeast to activate fully before incorporating it into a dough.
For the buns, you need the following ingredients. Start with 2 cups milk, canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan and warm the mixture. Add yeast and allow to rise until dough has doubled in size.
Then add more flour, baking powder, and soda, as well as salt. Once combined, add sugar and cinnamon.
Making the buns requires a lot of folding. Once the dough is flattened, add some raisins. Fold dough over again. Then add another third of the raisins. Repeat the process a third time until all the raisins are incorporated.
Pull off pieces of dough and roll them into balls, allow to rise once again before baking.
Brush a glaze of egg white and milk atop each bun before baking.
Bake the buns. Then, make an icing of egg white, powdered sugar, and milk. Pipe a cross design atop each bun.
The complete recipe for Hot Cross Buns can be found on The Pioneer Woman website.
The Pioneer Woman airs Saturdays at 10 a.m. EST on The Food Network.
