Exactly 32 years ago today, a recipe for Hot Cross Buns was printed in an undetermined newspaper (but my guess is The New Britain Herald) and my grandmother cut it out. She made some notes on it, and the version I have is a photocopy of the original article, dated March 28, 1979. Hot Cross Buns are a Lenten tradition, although there are a lot of different stories about their origin.

Dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl. Heat milk and butter until warm; add to yeast mixture with sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk in eggs. Stir in raisins. Gradually stir in enough flour (4 1/2 c.) to make a manageable dough. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed. Let rise in a greased bowl for at least 1 hour, or until doubled. Punch dough down, and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough into 24 equal balls. Place them in a 13×9″ pan coated with cooking spray. Let rise in a warm place until doubled. Bake at 375F for 15 minutes, brush with 1/4 c. corn syrup, and then cook for 5 more minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Mix 1 T corn syrup, 1 T water, and gradually stir in enough powdered sugar to form a thick frosting. Drizzle on buns with a spoon to form a cross on each bun.

• breads