Cross buns for Easter

Ingredients:

Buns

• 0.5 cups of water
• 0.5 cups whole milk
• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 4.5 tsp active dry yeast (2 packets of 7 g)
• 1/3 cup melted butter + more as needed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour (370 g)
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 0.5 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 0.5 cup dark raisins, swollen in the microwave and cooled
• 1 beaten egg to brush the buns with

Glaze

• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and milk and heat over low heat to 100°F (38°C) (no more than 110°F). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, along with a pinch of sugar and flour. Do not stir. Let the mixture sit until foamy and risen, about 30 minutes.
2. Stir butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, loose, and slightly sticky dough. Stir in the raisins. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball.
4. Grease the inside of a large bowl with butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to lightly coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours. (If you have a marker, draw a circle the size of the dough on the plastic wrap and time it.)
5. Form the buns: Grease a 22x35cm (9x14in) pan with butter. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a rectangle approximately 40x20cm (16x8in). Using a pizza cutter or bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, each weighing approximately 60g (1.5 oz). (If you don't have a scale, cut the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut each of these four sections into 3 equal pieces.)
6. Fold the edges of the dough under to form round buns, and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan, spacing them slightly apart. Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the buns rise almost to the top of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 190°C.
8. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan and brush the tops of the buns with beaten egg. Bake the buns until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 185°F (88°C), about 25 minutes.
9. Glaze. Mix powdered sugar, milk, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a sealable bag or pastry bag and snip off the corner. Pipe a cross of icing onto each warm bun.