Currant Buns

Five currant buns in the baker's shop,

Big and round with a cherry on top,

Along came Mary with a penny one day,

Bought a currant bun and took it away.

Check out this recipe for currant buns as good as those in the baker's shop!

Ingredients:     

• 1/2 cup apple juice, heated to just below the simmering point
• 1 Tbls of dry active yeast
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups unbleached white flour or bread flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup currants
• Milk

Directions:  

• Cool the apple juice to lukewarm and stir in yeast.
• In a large bowl, mix together honey and oil.
• Stir in the yeast mixture.
• Add oatmeal and mix thoroughly.
• Beat in eggs and then let set for 10 minutes.
• Slowly add the whole wheat flour, stirring vigorously.
• Work in enough of the white flour to make a dough that leaves the side of the bowl clean.
• Knead in the salt and the currants
• Continue to knead the dough either in the bowl or on a floured board till the dough becomes elastice.  About 10 minutes.
• Place dough in a clean oiled bowl, roll in the bowl to oil the top.
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until the dough  doubles in bulk  About 1 hour.
• Punch the dough down and let rise again to double it's size.  About 30 minutes.
• Divide into 12 balls and put them on two oiled large steel baking sheets.
• Use a sharp knife and slash a superficial X across the top of the ball.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place till double their size.
• Preheat oven to  350 F degrees.
• Place a pan of water on the bottom shelf in the oven.
• Bake rolls for 40 minutes, or until the buns sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Remove to a rack and brush with milk.  Allow to cool under a damp cloth.

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