Hot cross buns basic recipe

MAKES 16 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 25 MINUTES (+ STANDING AND COOLING TIME)

1 tablespoon (14g) dried yeast

¼ cup (55g) caster sugar

1½ cups (375ml) warm milk

4 cups (600g) plain flour 2 teaspoons mixed spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

60g butter

1 egg

1½ cups (240g) sultanas

FLOUR PASTE

½ cup (75g) plain flour

2 teaspoons caster sugar

⅓ cup (80ml) water, approximately GLAZE

1 tablespoon caster sugar

¾ teaspoon gelatine

1 tablespoon water

1 Combine yeast, sugar and milk in a small bowl or jug. Cover; stand in warm place about 10 minutes or until mixture is frothy.

2 Sift flour and spices into large bowl; rub in butter. Stir in yeast mixture, egg and sultanas; mix to a soft sticky dough. Cover; stand in warm place about 45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

3 Grease a 23cm-square slab cake pan or deep 23cm-square cake pan.

4 Turn dough onto floured surface; knead about 5 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough into 16 pieces, knead into balls. Place balls into pan; cover, stand in warm place about 10 minutes or until buns have risen to top of pan.

5 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). 6 FLOUR PASTE Combine flour and sugar in cup. Gradually blend in enough of the water to form a smooth firm paste, place in piping bag fitted with small plain tube, pipe crosses on buns.

7 Bake buns about 20 minutes. Turn buns, top-side up, onto wire rack.

8 GLAZE Stir ingredients in small saucepan over heat, without boiling, until sugar and gelatine are dissolved; brush hot buns with hot glaze. Cool on wire rack.

Do-ahead

Rather than slaving over the buns on Good Friday, make them the day before – put the shaped buns in the pan, then cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight to prove. All you have to do the next day is make the crosses, then bake.