Easter Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

400 ml milk
120 g unsalted butter, roughly chopped, plus extra, to serve
750 g plain flour
75 g caster sugar
2 x 7 g yeast sachets
3 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
150 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
80 g sultanas
80 g currants
1 orange, zested
1 lemon, zested
1 egg

Cross Paste:

75 g plain flour
25 ml sunflower oil

Spice Glaze:

1/2 tsp mixed spice
125 g caster sugar

Method

Place milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium–low heat and stir until melted. Cool slightly. Place flour, sugar, yeast, spices, dried fruit, orange and lemon zest and 1 tsp salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir to combine. Stir in egg, then milk mixture. Knead for 9 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.

Punch down dough, divide into 20 equal pieces, then knead each piece for 1 minute into a smooth ball. Place in rows on an oven tray lined with baking paper, cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 220°C. To make paste, place flour, oil and 65ml water in a bowl and stir to a smooth paste. Transfer to piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and pipe a cross shape onto each dough ball. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven to 200°C and bake for a further 9 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, to make spice glaze, place mixed spice, sugar and 100 ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Brush buns generously with glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter.

Credits: Alice Storey

Photo Credits: Derek Swalwell