Lightened-Up Hot Cross Buns

  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 1/4 cup warm orange juice
  • 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 1 tsp. grated orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. grated whole nutmeg
  • 1 package quick-rise yeast
  • 1 cup warm fat-free milk
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup unsalted light butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 large egg white
Glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp fat-free milk
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
 
To prepare rolls, combine raisins, currants and orange juice in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes.  Drain fruit in a colander over a bowl, reserving fruit and juice.  Meanwhile, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup of warm water and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
 
Lightly spoon 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and your 1 cup of pastry flour into dry measuring cups.  Combine flours, salt, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached; mix until combined.  Combine reserved orange juice, milk, honey, butter and eggs in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.  With mixer on, slowly add in milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix at medium-low speed for about 7 minutes.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and add reserved fruit.
 
Knead dough for about 2 minutes until smooth and elastic; add enough of the remaining 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent sticking.  Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.  Punch dough down, cover and let rest for 5 minutes.  Divide dough into 24 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball and place rolls in muffin cups coated with cooking spray.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white and stir with a whisk.  Gently brush rolls with egg white mixture.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating pans once during baking.  Remove from pans and cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. 
 
To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk and 1 tsp. lemon juice, stirring well with a whisk.  Microwave on high 20 seconds or until warm.  Spoon glaze into a sealed zip-lock baggy and snip a tiny hole in one corner of the bag.  Pipe a cross on top of each warm roll.  Enjoy!