Great for Easter or any other time you get a craving! I normally make Hot Crossed Buns but when I don’t feel like making them I put together a batch of these Hot Crossed Biscuits instead…
2 cups unbleached flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup each hard butter & non-hydrogenated shortening, or all butter
1/3 cup each currants (rinsed & dried) & mixed peel
¾ cup milk (not low fat)
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking parchment, folded to fit if necessary.
Mix dry ingredients together. Blend in the butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk, stirr with a fork, until dough clumps together, adding more milk if mixture seems too dry. Remove dough to a lightly floured work surface and either pat out or roll out to ½” thickness. Using a 2 – 2 ½” floured biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, placing them on the baking sheet, leaving approximately 2″ between each biscuit. Cut a cross in the top of each one with a very sharp knife or razor blade. Brush with a bit of milk or cream to give a nice glaze. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
Serve warm with butter if you wish. Enjoy!
