Glazed hot cross buns

Equipment

• 1 large bowl
• 1 whisk
• 1 oiled bowl
• 1 cling film
• 1 knife
• 1 shallow baking dish
• 1 baking paper
• 1 oven
• 1 resealable bag
• 1 wire rack
• 1 pastry brush

Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, spices and salt in a large bowl.
2. Whisk eggs, milk and marmalade together and pour into the flour mixture to form a sticky dough.
3. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until elastic. Add softened butter and knead for a further 5 minutes until smooth.
4. Fold in fruit and peel and knead for further 3 minutes.
5. Form the dough into a ball, put it in an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Place it in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until dough has doubled in size. Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
6. Form into a loaf and use a knife to cut the loaf into 12 buns – in half lengthways, then six loaves each (see video).
7. Line a shallow baking dish with baking paper and put your hot cross buns onto it, ready for the oven.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
9. To make the crosses, mix the flour, icing sugar and water into a thick paste.
10. Pour paste into a resealable bag and snip off one of the corners to create a piping bag.
11. Pipe crosses on buns and bake for 15-20 mins. Turn out on wire rack.
12. To create glaze, bring the sugar and water to the boil until it is a clear syrup and then take it off the heat.
13. Apply glaze with a pastry brush while the buns are still hot.