Hot Cross Bun Recipe

For buns
250g Strong white flour
250g Plain flour
125ml Milk
125ml Boiling water
5g Quick yeast
50g Castor Sugar
50g Butter
1 egg
100g Dried fruit (eg sultanas and mixed peel)
1tsp mixed spice
10g Salt
Any jam (1tsp) and a little hot water to glaze

For crosses

1 table spoon plain flour
a little cold water

Method
Put flour, salt, yeast and sugar in a bowl
Mix the milk and water and add to bowl and mix well (stiff mixture)
Melt butter gently until soft (not fully liquid - although doesn't matter if it is) and add to bowl with the egg.
Now mix, the mixture will become quite sticky, you can do with food mixer and dough hook or continue by hand until the mixture is smooth and silky.

Cover and leave to raise until doubled in size (perhaps an hour)
Knock back and divide in to 8 (or 10 if you want smaller buns) and shape each bun.
Place on baking sheet and cover (clingfilm perhaps)
Leave to raise until doubled in size (approx 30 mins)

Mix the plain flour for the crosses with a little water so it makes a paste (you can make it stiff and shape the crosses by hand and stick on or make it runnier and pipe on with icing bag or plastic bag with corner cut off)
Preheat oven to 200 C
Once the buns have risen add the crosses and put in oven for 15 to 20 mins

Mix together the jam and hot water and when the buns are cooked glaze top by brushing with the mixture (avoid putting any lumps on).

Eat straight away or later toasted with loads of butter.

Before baking

I couldn't believe how good they look (and taste)!!