Sweet Hot-Cross Bun Pizzas

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make the buns, mix the warmed milk, yeast and 1 Tbsp sugar in a bowl and allow to sit for 5–10 minutes to let the yeast bloom. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Once the yeast has bloomed, whisk the eggs, melted butter, and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar together with the milk-yeast mixture.

Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the wet ingredients to the bowl, and turn the mixer on to low speed. Add the flour mixture in 2–3 batches, until the dough starts to come together into a ball and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading for another 5 minutes. Cover and allow the dough to proof for about 1 hour.

After proofing, divide the dough into 12 equal portions, then form the portions into balls. Place six of the dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving space in between. Do the same with the other six dough balls, using a second cookie sheet. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Uncover the dough balls and use two fingers to punch down and flatten out the middles, being careful not to deflate the outer edges. At this point you should have what look like mini pizzas, about 4–5" in diameter, with puffy outer edges.

Spread about 1 Tbsp of the jam in the flattened-out center of each "pizza" (think of this as your pizza sauce). Next, top the jam layer on each "pizza" with a few of the soaked raisins. Brush the outer edges with the tablespoon of heavy cream and bake for 18–20 minutes. Allow to cool.

To make the icing, mix together the confectioners' sugar and the 4–5 Tbsp heavy cream. The mixture will be thick. Fill a piping bag (or a resealable plastic bag with the corner cut off) with the icing. Once the "pizzas" are cool, line them up, 3 x 4, all touching. Pipe the icing down the center of each row, then pipe across the center of each column, creating a cross shape on each individual "pizza."