Fruity Hot Cross Buns

Instructions

WARM THE MILK: Begin by heating the milk slightly in a small saucepan until it is just warm. Remove from the heat, sprinkle or crumble over the yeast and set aside.
MAKE THE DOUGH: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook fitted (see note 1), combine 300g flour, sugar, lemon or orange zest, spices and salt. While mixing, add the butter and egg, stir the yeast and milk mixture and pour it into the bowl. Run the mixer on high until the ingredients are combined, then with the mixer on low speed, add the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes.
CHECK THE DOUGH: After 5 minutes, the dough should be moving freely around the bowl of the mixer and only lightly sticky. If it is still a little liquid or sticking to the sides of the bowl, add one tablespoon of flour and knead for another minute.
ADD FLAVOURINGS: Add the raisins, chopped apricots, and peel (if using) to the dough and knead until evenly distributed.
LET THE DOUGH RISE: When the dough has finished kneading, shape dough into a ball - it should feel soft, springy and elastic - don't worry if it's a little sticky; this is normal. Just dust it with some flour if it makes it easier to handle. Place it back in the bowl, cover it with cling film or some plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour until doubled in size.
HEAT THE OVEN: Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line a rectangular dish with baking paper. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface, and divide it into 8 equal portions (I find it is always easier to weigh the pieces to ensure the hot cross buns are uniform in size).
SHAPE THE DOUGH: Roll each piece of dough into a tight ball and place it into the prepared baking dish - barely touching each other. Cover the dish with a clean tea towel and allow it to rise for half an hour while you prepare the paste for the crosses.
BAKE: To make the crosses, stir together the flour and water in a small bowl to make a thick paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag or disposable freezer bag (you'll need to snip off the corner of the bag) and carefully pipe crosses onto the buns, which should have begun to rise again. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the tops are deep golden brown and the buns are well-risen.
GLAZE: While the buns are baking, stir together the ingredients for the glaze. As soon as you take the buns out of the oven, use a pastry brush to generously brush the glaze over the top of the buns while they are still piping hot.
COOL AND SERVE: Allow to cool a little, then enjoy warm, smothered with salted butter.

Notes

If you don't have a kitchen machine, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface, dust the dough with a tablespoon of flour and knead by hand for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add extra flour as necessary, so the dough isn't too sticky. Knead the fruit and sultanas through at the end..
Adding salt to the dough counteracts the sweetness of the fruit and gives flavour. If you are particularly sensitive to salt, consider reducing the amount to ½ tsp.
Imperial and Cup measurements are approximate. I recommend using a digital scale like the one below for the best and most accurate results.

Fruity Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

FOR THE CROSSES:

FOR THE GLAZE:

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition