Celebrate Easter and Passover With Delicious Dishes
From Hot Cross Buns to Puffed Oven Pancakes, California Raisins Sweeten Springtime Recipes
FRESNO, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring has officially begun and with it comes a bounty of the delicious foods of the season. Perhaps the most iconic foods are tied to the springtime holidays of Easter and Passover, when families across the country come together for memorable meals and special, homemade treats.
Hot cross buns are a favorite baked good of Easter that were historically served on Good Friday. The sweet spiced buns are traditionally studded with California raisins and adorned with a cross of icing on top, making them an unmistakable Easter goodie. Passover requires the absence of leavening agents from the diet, resulting in traditional recipes that contain no yeast or fermented grains. For Passover, a mouth-watering puffed pancake can be prepared in the oven with the use of matzo meal rather than flour and the delicious flavor combination of orange marmalade and California raisins.
While culinary traditions for both Easter and Passover abound, each includes gatherings of family and friends around the table. Celebrate this year with these recipes for Quick and Easy Honey-Wheat Hot Cross Buns and Orange-Raisin Puffed Oven Pancake developed by the California Raisin Marketing Board. For additional recipes with California raisins, visit www.LoveYourRaisins.com.
QUICK AND EASY HONEY-WHEAT HOT CROSS BUNS |
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Prep time: 10 minutes |
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Rise time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours |
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Cook time: 20 minutes |
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1 (1-lb.) loaf wheat bread dough or pizza dough |
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1 egg, beaten |
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1/4 cup honey |
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1 teaspoon cinnamon |
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1 cup flour, plus extra for kneading |
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3/4 cup California raisins |
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Butter flavor nonstick cooking spray |
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3/4 cup powdered sugar |
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2 1/2 teaspoons water |
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Stir together egg, honey and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add dough and mix with your hands or with a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until ingredients are well blended. Mix in flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a soft dough. Knead in raisins on a lightly floured board, then knead for a minute or two to form a soft dough. Press into an 8 X 12-inch rectangle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut into 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife (leaving rolls close together) and spray with cooking spray; tent with plastic wrap and place in a warm draft free place to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until dough has at least doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F; bake for 20 minutes. Stir together powdered sugar and water until mixture is smooth; drizzle over warm buns. |
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Makes 12 buns |
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ORANGE-RAISIN PUFFED OVEN PANCAKE |
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Prep time: 10 minutes |
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Cook time: 20 minutes |
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2 tablespoons heart-healthy buttery spread |
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1/2 cup California raisins |
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1/2 cup orange marmalade |
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2 tablespoons orange juice |
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3 egg whites |
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3 eggs |
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3/4 cup fat-free milk or water |
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1/2 cup matzo meal |
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1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract |
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Powdered sugar (optional) |
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place buttery spread in a 9-inch skillet or ovenproof baking dish and place in preheated oven to melt. (A cast iron skillet is best.) Stir together raisins, marmalade and juice in a small bowl and spread in skillet. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until very thick and foamy. Add eggs and beat for 2 minutes more. Beat in milk, matzo meal and extract until well mixed; pour into hot skillet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until very puffed and golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve immediately. |
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Makes 8 servings |
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About the California Raisin Marketing Board
A State Marketing Order in 1998 created the California Raisin Marketing Board and it is 100 percent grower funded. Its mission is to support and promote the increased use of California-grown raisins and sponsor crop production, nutrition and market research. For more information about the California Raisin Marketing Board and to browse delicious recipes, visit www.LoveYourRaisins.com.
SOURCE California Raisin Marketing Board
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