Another Good Friday Come & Gone (Almost)

Where did Lent go?! The first two - three weeks were so sssllllooooowwwwww at going by...it seemed as if Easter would never get here.  However after that time just flew.  I cannot believe that Good Friday is already upon us.  Yesterday I remembered that I have always made/had Hot Cross Buns for the day.  As I am always on the look out for new recipes, I found one.  It is just as good as last year's version but slightly different since it involved dried cranberries instead of raisins.  I advise cutting the recipe in half (I wish I had) if you are just wanting a couple, rather than enough to feed a small army. (Also 9 cups of flour is TOO MUCH for my kitchen aide to handle).

Hot Cross Buns
adapted from: http://honestcooking.com/2011/04/18/hot-cross-buns/

Dough
1 cup sugar
1 t salt (omitted)
3 pkg yeast
8-9 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup butter (I used salted, hence the reason I skipped the salt)
2 eggs
1 cup Craisins
1 egg yolk
1 t water
1 t orange or lemon extract (my addition, I just used a bit of each)

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 T milk/water

Combine sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups flour.  Heat milk and butter in saucepan until butter melts and mixture is warmed.  Gradually add liquid to dry mixture.  Slowly add another 2 cups flour.  Add eggs and extract. Slowly add remaining flour until a soft dough forms.  Remove to a greased bowl.  Cover and let rise until doubled.  Divide dough in half and knead fruit into each half. Next divide each half into 12 chunks.  Roll into balls.  Place 12 balls in a greased 9x13 pan. Let rise again.  Brush raised rolls with yolk and water.  Bake at 350 for 20minutes.
Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl.  Drizzle in cross shapes over slightly cooled rolls.  (I read it is best to do this when they are still slightly warm because the running crosses are better looking.)