Chef John’s Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

¼ cup dried currants

¼ cup rum, or as needed to cover currants

¾ cup milk, warmed to 100 degrees F

3 cups bread flour, divided, or as needed

1 (.25 oz) pkg active dry yeast

5 Tbs white sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1 Tbs grated lemon zest

1 Tbs grated orange zest

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp fine salt

½ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

7 Tbs melted butter

Crosses:

¼ cup water

1/3 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed to make thin, pipe-able dough

Glaze:

¼ cup sugar

3 Tbs water

Step 1: Place currants in a small bowl. Heat rum until steaming in a small pan and pour over currants to soften them, about 2 hours. Drain; reserve liquid for another use.

Step 2: Whisk warm milk, 1/4 cup flour, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit about 15 minutes to ensure yeast is active; small bubbles should start to rise to the surface. Add sugar, beaten egg, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, melted butter, and most of the remaining flour (you might not need it all). Mix with a dough hook attachment until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes slightly elastic, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue kneading until dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove dough from dough hook and shape into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.

Step 3: Flatten dough into a large oval about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle currants evenly over surface of dough. Fold dough into thirds. Turn and fold into thirds again. Reshape dough into a round ball. Transfer to lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place until double in size, about 2 hours.

Step 4: Poke dough down a bit with your fingertips. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Flatten out dough into an even shape. Divide into 16 equal pieces using a bench scraper.

Step 5: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.

Step 6: Roll each piece of dough into a round ball. Arrange evenly on prepared baking sheet. Let rise 15 minutes.

Step 7: Mix 1/4 cup water and 1/3 cup flour together in a mixing bowl until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to pipe. Transfer mixture to a piping bag.

Step 8: After buns have risen 15 minutes, pipe a cross on top of each. Let rise until doubled from original dough balls, another 15 or 20 minutes.

Step 9: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Step 10: Transfer pan to preheated oven. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Step 11: Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to thicken, or until it reaches a temperature of 225 degrees. Remove from heat.

Step 12: Let buns cool on a rack for 5 minutes before glazing. Brush glaze lightly over the tops of the buns.

Easy Pineapple Casserole

Ingredients

1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, partially drained

2/3 cup white sugar

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 stick butter, melted

1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 sleeve crushed buttery round crackers (such as Ritz®) bowl and sprinkle mixture over pineapple. Spread cheese on top. Cover everything with crushed crackers. Drizzle with melted butter.

Step 3: Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Excellent side dish, especially for ham or pork.

Cook’s Note:

Chef’s Tips:

Any sweet dough will work with this easy technique. Times may vary, but regardless of the dough, simply wait for the dough to double in size, and proceed. When adding the flour, hold back a little of it until you sure you need it all. You can always add, but can’t remove!

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Mix pineapple tidbits and crushed pineapple together in a bowl and layer into the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Mix sugar and flour together in a

To soften your butter quickly, cut or grate butter. If you cut your butter into chunks instead of leaving it in one big stick, it’ll warm up to room temperature much faster.

To melt your cut or grated butter place in a small saucepan on the stove top on low heat. Stir the butter pieces with a wooden spoon until they are fully melted.

It was love at first sight for Denise, and it will be for you, too, as you step across the front door threshold (as thousands have done since 1904) and become engulfed within the memory-filled rooms of this beautiful old Victorian-style home in Madisonville, now known as the Woodbine Inn and Restaurant. Owners Michael and Denise Emanuelli invite you to create your own memories with family and friends as you greet, dine, talk, and laugh the hours away together in this remarkable inn and dining establishment. Purchased by the Emanuellis in December 2021, the refurbishing has moved forward beginning with the gutting, redesigning, and equipping of a full-scale professional kitchen in which Chef Paul Aguilar brings his culinary expertise to life. Prime rib is only the beginning!

Denise, having enjoyed tea in many castles throughout Europe, wanted to offer the same charming experience to others, even to the extent of taking pastry classes to prepare the proper fare for teas. With the purchase of this exquisite property, and the addition of a truckload of antiques from Arizona, the restoration is taking shape, and the parties have begun. From baby showers, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, and more, the inn is once again brimming with the voices of young and old, couples and families, social and civic groups, book clubs and bridge clubs, all making new memories at Woodbine Inn and Restaurant. As Denise noted, “Everyone in Madisonville has a Woodbine story. We quickly realized it was more than just a local restaurant. People had a lot of memories attached to her. It was important for us to get this project underway as soon as possible.”

Plans include a bed and breakfast utilizing the eight guest rooms and private baths, and a suite, with all guests welcome to enjoy afternoon tea. The refined-casual dining restaurant is open to the public (serving lunch from 11-2 Tuesday through Friday, dinner from 5:30-9:30 Thursday through Saturday, and Sunday brunch from 11-2). When the inn is fully renovated, those hours may change, so a quick look at the website will be in order. Prime rib, dry-aged steaks, and other fare are procured from local suppliers to ensure the highest quality and freshness possible. Future plans also include a garden to supply fresh herbs and vegetables for Chef Paul’s skillful artistry, his culinary goal always being to delight to your eyes and thrill your palate.

Now that your interest and appetite are whetted, let’s take a brief look at the lengthy history of this unique property. Built in the late 1800s by Jewish Russian immigrants Jake and Sarah Shapira, the original hotel burned to the ground and was rebuilt in 1904 at the same and present location. The hotel and restaurant were a popular destination for locals and travelers for over 100 years. In fact, the building »