HOT CROSS BUNS

These sweetly spiced sticky-glazed buns take a bit of time to make, but you’ll get great results.

Hands-on time 45min, plus rising and cooling. Cooking time about 15min. Makes 12

FOR THE BUNS

600g (1lb 5oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra to dust

2tsp mixed spice

50g (2oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra to grease

75g (3oz) caster sugar Finely grated zest

1 lemon

1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast

325ml (11fl oz) semi-skimmed milk

1 medium egg

150g (5oz) sultanas

FOR THE TOPPING

2tbsp plain flour

1-2tbsp golden syrup, to glaze

1 Put the strong flour, mixed spice, butter and ½tsp salt into a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers.

2 Add sugar, lemon zest and yeast and pulse again, or stir, to combine. Empty mixture into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Gently heat milk until it’s just warm, then add milk and egg to the flour bowl and stir quickly to make a soft dough (add a little more cold milk if the mixture feels too dry).

3 Dust a work surface with flour, then knead the dough for 5min, or until elastic. Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for 1hr.

4 Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead in the sultanas (you may need to flour the work surface again). Return the dough to the bowl, re-cover with clingfilm and leave to rise again for 30min.

5 Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter. Turn dough out again on to a floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly. Arrange balls on the baking sheet, spacing a little apart. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 45min.

6 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. To make cross topping, put flour into a bowl and mix in just enough cold water to reach a smooth, pipeable consistency (about 2tbsp). Transfer mixture to a piping bag (no need for a nozzle), then snip tip and, working quickly, pipe a cross on top of each bun.

7 Bake the buns for 12-15min, or until golden and risen. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush with golden syrup. Then allow to cool completely on a wire rack – or eat warm with lashings of butter.

PER BUN 307cals, 8g protein, 5g fat (3g saturates), 56g carbs (17g total sugars), 2g fibre

TO STORE Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Reglaze buns with a little extra warmed golden syrup before serving.