Classic Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

Milk

300ml

Unsalted butter

50g

All-purpose flour

500g

Caster sugar

75g

Dried yeast

7g (2 teaspoons)

Salt

1 teaspoon

Mixed spice

1 teaspoon

Egg

1, beaten

Sultanas

100g

Currants

100g

Mixed peel

50g

Plain flour (for crosses)

50g

Water (for crosses)

enough to make a paste

Sugar (for glaze)

50g

Water (for glaze)

50ml

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, gently heat the milk and unsalted butter until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Remove from heat.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, caster sugar, mixed spice, salt, and dried yeast. Stir well to mix the dry ingredients.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the lukewarm milk mixture and the beaten egg. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
4. Add the sultanas, currants, and mixed peel to the dough. Knead on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean tea towel, and leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a bun and place them on a lined baking tray, ensuring there’s space between each bun for rising. Cover with a tea towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
7. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
8. To prepare the crosses, mix the plain flour with enough water to form a smooth, thick paste. Transfer this paste to a piping bag and pipe a cross over each bun.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the buns are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
10. While the buns are baking, prepare the glaze by dissolving the sugar in the 50ml of water over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
11. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them generously with the glaze to give them a beautiful shine.