APPLE & CINNAMON HOT CROSS BUNS

Prep: 45 mins. Cooking: 50 mins + proving + cooling. Makes 20.

325g raw caster sugar

1 lemon, halved

1½ Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored, diced 1 cinnamon quill

5 cups (750g) plain flour

150g sultanas or golden raisins

50g dried apple, diced

30g candied orange, diced

2 sachets (14g) dried yeast

3½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

Finely grated zests of 1 orange and 1 lemon 1½ cups (375ml) milk

100g butter, coarsely chopped

1 egg

1 Place 260g sugar, 375ml water and juice of half a lemon in a small saucepan stir over medium-high heat; stir until sugar dissolves. Cut remaining lemon half into 5mm-thick slices, add to saucepan along with fresh apple and cinnamon quill. Bring to the simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook until apple and lemon are translucent, 25mins. Strain, reserving fruit and syrup separately. Dice lemon and place in a bowl with apple; set aside.

2 Place 700g flour, sultanas, dried apple, candied orange, yeast, 3 tsp ground cinnamon, allspice, zests, remaining sugar, reserved fruit and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl; make a well in the centre. Heat milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until lukewarm and butter has melted. Whisk in egg, then add milk mixture to flour, stirring to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10mins. Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size, 30-40mins.

3 Knock back dough, divide into 20 even pieces, then knead each into a smooth ball. Place one dough ball in the centre of a large baking tray lined with baking paper; arrange remaining balls in concentric circles, leaving 1cm between each for dough to expand. Cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size, 30-40mins.

4 Preheat oven to 220 ˚ C (200 ˚ C fan). Place remaining flour and 60ml cold water in a bowl; stir to a smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake 10mins, reduce oven to 200 ˚ C (180 ˚ C fan) and bake until golden and buns sound hollow when tapped, a further 8-10mins.

5 Combine ⅓ of reserved syrup and remaining ground cinnamon in a small saucepan. Brush over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.