Bourbon-plumped currants enhance the flavor of hot cross buns for Easter

Hot cross buns are an Easter specialty with a light, enriched crumb that’s studded with currants and flavored with a gentle mix of warm spices and a hint of citrus. Some versions are drizzled with icing. But at Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, they prefer a traditional semi-sweet, flour-based “cross” etched across the top. The buns are made with orange zest, bourbon-plumped currants and buttermilk instead of regular milk. That makes them light and tender with just the right amount of buttery sweetness. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is an amber-hued sweetener common to the U.K. that adds lovely butterscotch notes, but honey works, too. The work is spread over a couple days so the buns can be baked and served for breakfast or brunch.