Hot Cross Buns

Original recipe from BBC Food. Made slightly more complicated by using two types of flour, but actually simplified overall by using a Kenwood and mixing everything together at once and then cutting out one of the rising steps which is not needed.

Ingredients

• 625g flour - 425g of flour for Pain de Compaign - a semi brown bread + 200g of farine de Brioche - a light cake bread.
  1 tsp salt

• 3-4 tsp in total of ground cinnamon, ginger and allspice

• 50g unsalted butter

• 85g sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 22g of Brioche yeast (two sachets) + 11g bread yeast (1 sachet) - this is instant granulated yeast (I can't really see the difference between the two, but they are sold as two types in our shops, so 33g overall).

• 1 fresh egg

• 275ml warm milk

• 150g raisins and sultanas

• 1 tbsp honey mixed with 50ml milk, for glazing

Preparation method

1. For the buns, sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into an electric blender bowl, add the butter, the sugar, the lemon zest and yeast.

2. Beat the egg with the warm milk, and add to the flour. Mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough using a bread dough mixing tool.

3. Add raisins and sultanas.

4. Mix gently for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic (add a little milk if required to form an elastic dough. It must come away from the sides of the bowl).

5. Grease a large, warm glass mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with Plast film and place in a slightly warm oven that is turned off.

6. Let rise for 40 minutes.

7. Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Fold a few times.

8. Divide it into 12 to 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. About the size of a golf ball.

9. Wrap a baking tray with greaseproof paper, then place the buns on the paper.

10. Brush the buns with the honey and milk mixture.

11. Place back in warm (but not hot) oven for a further 40 minutes to rise. Then carefully remove from oven.

12. Heat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8.

13. Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

14. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with a bit more of the honey and milk mixture, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.