Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns and an old-fashioned rant

I prefer to choose which traditions to keep and which to let go. – Theodore Bikel

A pan of warm hot cross buns.

Yesterday a friend posted a link to a rant about how holidays and celebrations have started to go way over the top, and with it the expectations as to how they are to be celebrated. And I totally agree.

The dough before rising. Raisins will
fall our as you knead. Just tuck
them back in and continue on.

The gist of the “rant” (in the most positive meaning of the word) was that this mother’s kids were expecting the results of a visit from a leprechaun for the morning of St. Patrick’s Day. Of course(?), the expectation from the children was for bags of “gold” (candies) to be stashed around the house, and/or obligatory St. Patrick’s Day parties.

Huh? What has happened to us? Why is it that we feel the need to over-celebrate – or is it over do – every tiny holiday that pops up on the calendar? If you think I’m exaggerating, take a look on Pinterest for a truly guilt-laden experience. The link is here. I particularly like the green pee in the toilet and leprechaun footprints on the toilet seat. Go look.

As a parent did you do the utmost for your children to celebrate this “siginifcant” holiday? Really? Come on... really? When I was young (insert blah, blah, blah here) all we did was wear something green, even if you weren’t Irish. Or if you were a Catholic or Anglican, probably a church service. I have never had a green beer in my life. That’s a good way to ruin it, no?

After first rise.

This got me thinking about the next big holiday, and I don’t mean the Vernal Equinox on March 21, although I imagine there are parents and groups out there plotting how to send that day over the top as I write. I’m talking about Easter. You know, the one where most of us actually have a day off work.

I have read that we are raising a generation that has little empathy for others. The “Me” Generation. It’s due to a lot of factors, but to me prime among them are the lack of consequences to failure and the fulfilling of every need/desire of our little “tyrants.” Because, face it, that’s what many of them have become. It’s far easier in our busy days to just throw something at them to make the problem go away. The Art of Parenting has significantly diminished. In essence, the inmates have taken over the asylum.

I’m not here to denigrate how anyone celebrates holidays, but you do have to give your head a shake if you think that every minor celebration has to be turned into some sort of life-altering event. It’s too stressful, expensive and completely unnecessary.

Of course, Easter does go over the top, too, ranking right up there with Christmas and Halloween. Valentine’s Day is currently racing toward the finish line as well. One must remember that the real reason for Easter is a RELIGIOUS celebration (wether you are religious or not). A discourse on the Easter Bunny, eggs, candies and the like I will save for a later rant...

It’s pure, naked commercialism, folks. “They” want you to feel guilty if you don’t buy buy buy. If you don’t do significant damage to your bank account your heart is empty toward those you purport to love.

Can you remember anything – anything – you ever got for Easter? I thought not. So what does make celebrations memorable? Lets get back to the basics. I bet you can remember who attended your last Easter dinner and how you felt. 

One way to treat the holidays is to carry on real traditions, not ones manufactured by marketing gurus. By “real,” I mean ones you really will remember, ones your parents remember and probably even your grandparents. Consumerism wasn’t quite so rampant back then. We made do, often on very little. But we didn’t think we lacked anything.

Today’s recipe is a real reminder of Easter to me, and doesn’t take much in the way of time or money. And it’s one of those things you remember about the holiday and crave all year long. (Because they only make an appearance on Good Friday!)

Although not exactly the same, this recipe is very similar to one in my Great Aunt Hilda’s hand-written cookbook. That would date this to at the latest around 1960. How much earlier than that her recipe dates would be pure conjecture… 

Hot cross buns are never served as a dinner roll but as a “dessert,” due to the sweet egg dough, currants and (if you’re doing them right) copious amount of icing. The amount of currants and spice can be adjusted to your own liking. I find “store-bought” very frugal on both ingredients.

Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the Crucifixion. They are believed to pre-date Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" was in 1733.

So, if you’re like me, and are “mad as hell and not going to take this any more,” perhaps step back a bit, refocus life, and enjoy a sweet bun, loaded with icing. But wait a while. Easter isn't for another month.

Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns

Prep: 20 min  |  Rise: 2-2.5 hours  |  Makes 8-12 buns

3/4 cup water, 110°F

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup powdered milk

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tbsp active dry yeast 

1 cup dried currants

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp allspice (or nutmeg)

2 lg eggs 

3 cups white flour

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 tsp coffee cream

Heat the water, powdered milk, butter and sugar in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the liquid reaches a temperature of 100°F. Do not exceed that temperature. If you do let the liquid cool down to 110° before adding the yeast (or you’ll kill it).

Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the liquid. Stir gently, cover and let sit for between 10-15 minutes to “proof.” At the end of the time the yeast should be creamy. If not, start again with fresh yeast.

Place the currants in a large bowl. Add the salt, cinnamon, allspice, eggs and proofed yeast liquid. Mix well and then add the flour. Stir until it comes together, then transfer to a board and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will still be “wet” but won’t stick to your hands or the board.

Place the dough back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled. This will take about 2 hours. (I didn't have as warm a spot as usual for my bread and my first rise was 2.5 hours...)

At the end of the rise, punch down and divide into 8-12 equal balls. 8 balls make good sized buns, 12 make the number of apostles… Arrange the balls in an 8” x 8” oven-proof dish. Let rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375°F. Just before baking cut a small cross in the top of each bun. This will hemp the icing stay on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (30 min if making 8). Remove from the oven and rub with butter. Let the buns cool for 10 minutes.

Mix together the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and cream. Place in a plastic bag, snip off the end, and squeeze a cross on the top of each bun.

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Mushroom Braised Beef Roast

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

I was reminded of that quote yesterday as I attended the funeral for the husband of a friend of mine. It was a very sad affair, as all funerals are, but was made all the more poignant as they would have celebrated only 17 months of marriage on Saturday. He was 50 years old.

My heart was torn at the sight of his wife, and the rest of the family, having to pull together to make sudden arrangements to say that final goodbye to the one they love. The word love is on purpose, not loved. It does not end because someone is no longer here, nor should it.

Sear the beef on all sides.

His passing should be a clarion call to us all to appreciate and love those we have in our lives, every single day. Do what you can to show it today, not tomorrow, as there may not be one. A sobering thought, that very few of us actually recognize. We all have an immortality complex.

Have you raised you voice harshly to someone you purport to love in the last week, day, hour? Was it over a trifling matter, something so insignificant it was only used as a vent for your bad mood? Did it cut, was it meant to hurt or make someone feel small or bad?

Go apologize. Now. Start to live seeing the big picture. None of us are perfect – not them, not you, and certainly not me. But you love them for a reason – remember that every time you open your mouth.

Be supportive, be helpful, be an ear to listen and shoulder of support.

Reduce the liquid in the pot.

Of course there are serious things in relationships that need to be discussed. Most often they stem from selfishness or rigidity. Communication is key. But do it in a way where you do not denigrate the opinions of those you love; cultivate a cooperative atmosphere where issues can be discussed calmly and solutions found.

There are no winners and losers in a healthy, loving relationship. Love and living together is about give and take. What you decide together will make you stronger than what you decide alone. And those joint decisions will lead to new avenues of choice that you may never have dreamed possible.

Remember that life can be short and brutish, and inherently unfair. Live life like there is no tomorrow, and always treat those you love in a way you would wish to be treated. If you live life like this, if the worst does happen, you will not look back with regrets.

Happy memories, smiles and laughs are far better ways to remember those we love than living with self-recrimination because  of how we acted. We can’t change what happens around us, but we are in total control of how we react to those circumstances. The two saddest words are “what if...”.

Luckily, my friend and her husband lived the words I wrote above. The only regret is they had far too little time together.

What does this have to do with braised beef roast? Nothing. But I’m giving you a recipe anyway. It may be a way to enjoy the company of those you love, and have some of supportive conversations you really should be having, over a lovely meal.

Mushroom Braised Beef Roast

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 2 hours  |  Serves 4-6

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3lb boneless beef blade roast

2 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp dried garlic

1 tsp salt

300 g crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 cup chardonnay

1 cup cream

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix together the pepper, garlic and salt and rub the mixture well into the surface of beef.

Heat half the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot with a well fitting lid. Sear the beef on all sides. Remove to a plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pot. Sauté the mushrooms until they start to colour. Push them to the sides and nestle in the beef. Pour the wine around and bring to a gentle boil. Then reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and bake.

If your pot lid doesn’t fit well, cover the top of the pot with heavy aluminum foil and then place your pot lid on top. Fold the hanging foil up over the lid, for a slightly better seal.

Bake the roast for for 1 to 1.5 hours, testing using a meat thermometer at the hour mark for doneness. Interior should read 140 to 150°F for medium.

Remove from the heat. Let sit for 15 minutes, tented with foil to keep warm.

While the roast sits, bring the liquid and mushrooms in the pot to a boil, and let cook until the liquid has reduced down to about 3/4 of a cup. Add the cream and boil until reduced to sauce consistency.

Taste the sauce for salt and adjust if desired. Slice the beef and serve the mushroom sauce on top.

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Gourmet Gifting, “Faux” Foie Gras

Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it. – Benjamin Franklin

Should have bought 6 jars...

December has finally arrived, and with it the hurly burly of the Christmas season. We made the mistake of trying to go to the mall on Friday – Black Friday. We got a taste of what is to come. It wasn’t pretty.

Mmmmm… 1 cup of butter.

From now on it won’t be fit to go to any of the malls or consumer business parks, unless you want to spend the day in traffic and then in checkout line-ups. And what is the result? Buying “tat” that people don’t want or need. That’s why making edible gifts make so much sense.

This month I’ll be posting ideas on presents from the heart, instead of from the wallet. I post every second day, so from now until Christmas there will be 12. My own 12 Days of Christmas.

First up, faux foie gras. Foie gras (French for "fat liver") is the liver of a duck or goose that has been purposefully fattened. For many people this is a non-starter because there is concern that it harms the birds. 

Whipped into a mousse.

On an episode of Diary of a Foodie, a TV show by the now defunct Gourmet magazine, we were taken to a French foie gras farm where the geese seemed to be treated quite well, and were free-range. They were force-fed, but didn’t seem to be harmed in any way or caused much, if anything, in the way of distress.

There are good farmers and bad farmers everywhere. I would imagine, like everything else, the truth about force feeding lies somewhere between. The extremes of either end of an ethical question should equally be mistrusted.

So what if you could avoid the issue all together? No one cares about chickens, right? That's what this recipe uses – chicken livers. The result is a pâté that is very, very reminiscent of foie gras without any of the guilt. It is smooth, creamy, rich and delicious.

I based mine on the main recipe from the Diary of a Foodie episode I spoke of above, but made some alterations.

To pretty up as a gift I purchased four cage-top jars at a “dollar store” at about $1.50 each. I think they were about 1/2 cup in size. The cage-tops make them look very special.

In hindsight I should have purchased more jars, or bigger ones, because by the time they’re empty you will be looking for more. I filled four, plus two custard ramekins.

This was a real hit last year when I made it. All it needed was a crusty baguette. That would be another great post for this month. It also would go quite nicely with my previous post on how to make brioche using your mixer.

These pots-de-delight are sealed with gélee, but you may want to hold off making them until a week before Christmas. Better safe than sorry!

The mousse is baked using a water bath.

“Faux” Foie Gras

Adapted from Diary of a Foodie, Season 1: Contraband Cuisine

Prep: 45 min  |  Total time: 3 hours (includes cooling)

Special: 6 x 125 ml cage-top jars

For the mousse

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp truffle oil (optional)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 lb chicken livers, trimmed of visible fat*

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper, plus more for in gelée

For the gelée

1 cup chicken stock

2 tsp unflavoured gelatin

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

To make the mousse, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium low until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the truffle oil and remaining butter. Stir until the butter melts.

Clean any sinews and fat from the chicken livers. Place the onion mixture and cream in a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth.

With the motor running drop the livers in, one at a time. Add the salt and pepper and process until very smooth. The mixture will be very light in texture. Do not taste it. It’s raw liver!

The mousse sets up more. This was taken before fully cooled.

Arrange the mousse baking dishes in a 9”x13” dish. Fill each small dish to about 1/4” from the top with the mousse mixture. Wrap the top of each one with foil and fill the 9x13 with water to about halfway up the sides of the mousse containers.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The mousse will be set through to the centre.

Remove from the water bath and let cool for at least 2 hours on the counter. Once the mousse is cool, make the gelée.

Pour the chicken stock into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin on top of the stock and let soften for about one minute. Slowly heat the mixture to just below boiling, swirling to make sure the gelatin dissolves.

Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar and hot sauce. Sprinkle a generous amount of cracked black pepper (must be cracked, not ground) on top of each pâté. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the gelée on top and let set.

Once the gelée sets, cover tightly and refrigerate.

To show the result I dipped in with a spoon before they were refrigerated. They will firm up more. This is really rich, delicious stuff. The truffle oil makes a world of difference.

* If you can find them, duck livers would make this even closer to real foie gras. I don't think you can get them here in Halifax.

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Roast Beef with Caramelized Onion

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. – Leonardo da Vinci

This is cooked to "medium." Note the lack of juice pooling around the
meat. Let it rest and you keep all that flavour, and moistness.

You know, some things are really simple. It’s when we try to tart them up that possibility of failure comes in.

Sear both sides well.

Take, for instance, the “Sunday joint.” A roast is expensive, so you don’t want to screw it up. Dry beef is not a good thing.

Luckily, roast is one of the simplest things on earth to do. And so are the accompanying caramelized onions that many of us love as an accompaniment. 

Simple ingredients, simple technique, amazing result. There’s precious little that delivers so much for so little effort. All they take are time.

Low, and slow. If you can remember those two words you’ve got both of these done. Seriously, there are really no tricks to either of these. But two actions do benefit them.

First, you need to make sure you have a good sear on both sides of the meat before it goes into the oven. Second, the roast does benefit from sitting in the refrigerator rubbed with the spices. They start permeating the meat as opposed to just sitting on the surface.

Special equipment? Yes. An instant-read meat thermometer. You should have one in your kitchen. Your roast, chicken, chops, etc will thank yo for it. So will all of your barbecued goodies when that season rolls around again.

So I’ve given you lots of time to plan for next weekend. If you have the roast rubbed and in the fridge on Thursday you’ll be ready for Saturday dinner. If you want to wait until Sunday, have the prep done by Friday.

Any leftovers can be put to good use, with any leftover onions, in sandwiches.

Slow and low caramelizes. Rush and they may burn.

Roast Beef with Caramelized Onions

Prep: 1-2 days  |  Roast 1 to 2 hours*

1.5 to 2 kg beef roast

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cracked black pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium/lg yellow onions, sliced

2-3 tbsp water, juice or white wine

2 tbsp olive oil

Mix together the salt and pepper. Rub the entire surface of the roast with the spices. Place in a dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one to two days.

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Sear the roast in the oil using an ovenproof pan, like cast iron.

Some of my roast ended up in sandwiches.

Place the pan and roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour and then check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Cook until internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium rare or 160° for medium.

Tent with foil and let sit for 15 minutes for the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

While the roast is cooking, place the sliced onions in the hot oil in a frying pan. Stir, turn the heat to medium low and add the liquid.

The liquid can be water, juice (like apple or orange) or white wine. It allows the onions to “sweat” and begin the caramelization process. Stir the onions occasionally to prevent burning. 

Cook until very translucent and they have begun to brown. This will take about 1 hour.

* Length of time depends on the weight, thickness and desired level of doneness. Flatter cuts will take shorter time; “fatter” cuts, longer.

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Best Bistro-style French Onion Soup

It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards. – Lewis Carroll 

Ahh, Bistro Onion Soup, you've been away too long...

Here’s a recipe that I have been sitting on without making for a very long time. It’s actually one of my favourites. 

Low 'n slow. That's how to caramelize onions.

I’ve been making this from memory for probably about 20 years. I have no idea where the original recipe may have originated. Nor do I care. 

If memory works in this case like at any other time, this soup is probably not very much like its progenitor. At least now I have written it down so it won't change too much from this point on. And you can make it too!

This is a really good "meatless" soup. It does use beef stock. The cheese substitutes for meat a little, as does the bread.

So how do you ensure it is a satisfying meal on its own? You have to introduce a lot of flavour. That means using a few basic culinary techniques, plus some good quality ingredients.

Caramelizing the onions is the first. Caramelizing usually refers to heating sugar to the melting point and a little beyond. You can also do this with vegetables with high natural sugar content. Beets, carrots and onions are three that have a lot of natural sweetness. 

This is the soup all ready for toast and cheese.

Caramelizing their sugars adds depth of flavour. But just like caramelizing cane sugar, you don’t want to burn it. So caramelize on medium heat, slowly.

Next up is cooking a little flour with the onions until it takes on a bit of a nutty taste, like the start of a roux. This can be done in a short time (2-3 minutes), and really makes a difference. This adds body to the broth as well.

After that it’s really up to your ingredients – good beef stock, fresh herbs, and nice, flavourful cheese. And don’t forget the bread. Traditionally it's a crusty French baguette. I used my homemade whey bread. It was an excellent choice too. Nice and "sturdy."

Anyone else hungry? I am. If you combine all these simple ingredients together you really get something wondrous.

Really wondrous.

Bistro-style French Onion Soup

Fresh from under the broiler, and piping hot.

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  6 servings

1/2 cup butter

8 medium onions (good sized medium)

5 garlic cloves

1/4 cup flour

5 cups good beef broth

1/2 cup sherry
2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

1-1/2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (1-1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp cracked black pepper

salt to taste

1 French baguette, sliced and toasted*

2-1/2 cups gruyere cheese, grated (or Swiss)

Heat 1/4 cup of the butter in a Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot.

Slice the onions, thin but not too thin, and add to the pot. Then chop and add the garlic. Sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat, stirring often. Sauté until they begin to caramelize (turn golden), but are not burnt. While the onions caramelize, toast the baguette slices and set aside.

Add the second 1/4 cup of butter to the pot. After it is melted, sprinkle the onions with 1/4 cup of flour. Mix together well and let the onions cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the flour starts to colour slightly.

Add the beef broth, sherry, Dijon (if using), tarragon and black pepper. Let the soup come to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot as it simmers.

Taste the soup for salt. You may not need any depending on the saltiness of your stock. Adjust the pepper and tarragon at this time as well, if desired. Keep the soup hot.

Grate the cheese and set aside. Layer enough toasted baguette to cover the surface of the soup. Sprinkle the toast with 1/2 of the cheese. Add another layer of toast and finally the remaining cheese. If desired, sprinkle the top with a little pepper.

Broil the soup until the cheese bubbles. Serve immediately.

* You need to have enough toast slices to cover the top of the soup in two layers.

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