Hot Cross Buns - Makes 18

  • 450g bread flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1-2 tsp mixed spice
  • 85g sugar
  • 85g butter

Yeast mixture

  • 4 tbsp yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 pint warm milk
  • 2 eggs

Fruit

  • 85g currants
  • 50g sultanas
  • 25g chopped peel

In a large bowl, sieve in the flour, then add the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice and sugar.

Rub in the butter.

Warm up the milk. Put 2/3 cup of the warm milk into a 2 cup measure.

Add the yeast, and a tablespoon of sugar. Wait about 10 minutes or so, until the yeast mixture is bubbling and has doubled in size.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and the remaining warm milk. Pour this into the measuring jug with the yeast mixture. After a minute or two, this should fill the two-cup measure.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg, milk, and yeast mixture.

Combine to a soft dough.

Leave for about 10 minutes.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth.

Add dried fruit to the dough.

Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and shiny.

Lightly butter inside of a large bowl.

Place dough in the bowl and turn once, so it is lightly covered with butter.

Now cover bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel.

Leave to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.

(While dough is rising, grease a baking sheet and make shortcrust pastry for crosses and glaze for buns, if desired.) Turn dough out on to a lightly floured work surface, knock back and leave to rest for a few minutes.

Divide into approximately 18 pieces. Shape into buns. Place on a greased baking sheet.

Crosses and Glaze egg wash, optional (e.g. 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp sugar, 1 egg yolk) shortcrust pastry If you want to glaze the buns, dip fingers into a glaze mixture (2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp sugar, 1 egg yolk) and gently pain the buns.

Make crosses out of shortcrust pastry and place on top of buns just before baking.

Allow buns to rise for about an hour and turn oven on to 425F 10 minutes or so before you want to start baking.

Bake in preheated oven for five minutes, then reduce heat to 400°F and bake a further 10 minutes or until golden.

Cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter.