Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

• 500 g Strong white bread flour
• 7 g Dried fast action yeast (1 sachet)
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Mixed spice
• 60 g Caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar)
• 285 ml Semi skimmed milk (or whole milk)
• 75 g Butter (unsalted)
• 1 Egg (large)
• 250 g Mixed dried fruit
• 50 g Strong white bread flour
• 1/4 tsp Caster sugar
• 4-5 tbsp Water
• 2 tbsp Golden syrup (warmed)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a small pan heat up the milk and butter, once the butter is melted take it off the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes

2. 2

   Place the mixed dried fruit into a small bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover it, leave to soak for 10 minutes, then drain the water off

3. 3

   Put the strong white bread flour, fast action yeast, cinnamon, mixed spice, salt and sugar in a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Make sure that the salt and the yeast do not directly touch each other. Stir the mixture together

4. 4

   Pour the cooled butter and milk mixture into the flour mixture, then add the egg too. Mix it either with a wooden spoon, or ideally in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, until a dough forms

5. 5

   Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface (it is a wet dough so don't be tempted to overly flour it) or in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for 8 minutes

6. 6

   You can add the fruit at this stage if you like, or add it later

7. 7

   Place the dough in a bowl brushed with olive oil, cover it with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 90 - 120 minutes until doubled in size

8. 8

   Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, if you haven't added the fruit yet, add it now and knead it into the dough until evenly distributed

9. 9

   Cut the dough up into 12 equal pieces, weigh them for accuracy if you like, mine weighed 104g each. Roll them into balls and place them onto a lightly oiled baking tray. Cover the tray with oiled cling film, then leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour and 15 minutes

10. 10

    Before the dough is finished proving, pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6, and make the flour paste for the cross on the buns by mixing the strong white bread flour with the sugar and water until a thick paste forms. Put it in a piping bag and snip off the end

11. 11

    Use the piping bag to draw the crosses along the dough buns, follow the curves of the buns as you pipe it

12. 12

    Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top

13. 13

    Warm the golden syrup on the hob in a small pan, and brush on top of the buns as soon as they come out of the oven to give them a lovely shiny and sticky sweet glaze

14. 14

    Serve immediately, store fully cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days