CROSS HOUSE

The term “cross house” probably refers to “cross cake”, which is a sweet, leavened pastry often eaten at Easter. Here is a recipe that follows the given ingredients and results in delicious, soft cross cakes:

Ingredients:

250 ml warm milk
1 egg
60 g melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
500 g flour
1 sachet dried yeast (or 25 g fresh yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
Grated lemon zest (optional, to enhance the flavor)
Raisins, candied orange zest (optional, for the filling)
1 egg for the coating
Icing sugar for decoration
Preparation:

Rise the yeast:
Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm milk.
Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Prepare the dough:
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Add the melted butter, eggs, activated yeast, and grated lemon zest (if using).
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
If using raisins or candied orange peel, knead in now.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

Shape the loaves:
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a bun.
Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Let the loaves rise for another 30 minutes.

Baking:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Brush the cakes with beaten egg.
Bake the cakes for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Decorating:
Let the cakes cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Tips:
The warm milk helps the yeast rise.
Kneading the dough is important to achieve a soft and elastic dough.
The rising time depends on the temperature, so keep an eye on the dough.
The grated lemon zest and raisins/orange zest are optional, but they make the taste richer.
Enjoy your meal!