Saffron Buns

I had every intention of making this one of my "12 Days of Treats" posts, but that whole giving birth thing got in the way. ;) Even though these saffron buns are enjoyed at my parents' house every year at Christmas, they're too delicious to NOT post about 3 months later. My mom has been making these amazing buns for years, and she always makes them a couple of days before Christmas. They're definitely time consuming, but the taste-and the way the house smells afterward-is heavenly. My mom normally makes a double batch since they don't last very long, but I just did a single batch this year since it was just Will and I at Christmas.


Ingredients:

3/4 cup of whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1 pkg saffron
1/2 cup boiling water
2 pkg dry active yeast
1 egg, beaten
4 1/2-5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup currants
1 cup chopped candied fruit

Directions:

1. Boil water, add saffron to a mug, and mix together. Cover and let sit for a few hours.

2. Scald milk

3. Stir in sugar, salt and butter. Cool slightly, but keep warm.

4. In a large bowl, add yeast, warm milk mixture, egg, and saffron tea, in that order, beating after each addition.

5. Add your first two cups of flour; beat until smooth.

(It should look like this)

6. Add currants and fruit

7. Now add flour one cup at a time-dough should be stiff.

8. Remove from the bowl and knead for 8 minutes, and form into a large ball.

9. Butter a large bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

10. It should be doubled in size, like so:

11. Punch down, and form into buns.

12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a cake pan and form buns.

13. Bake about 25 minutes until they are slightly golden brown.

14. Brush with melted butter,

15. and sprinkle with sugar.