Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons fast-acting yeast
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, softened
4 oz sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins and peel
short crust pastry trimmings (or a thick paste of flour + water)
2 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsps water for glaze

Method

Mix salt with flour. Rub in butter. Add yeast, sugar, spice. Combine eggs with warmed milk. Pour into flour mixture and mix. Add fruit. Knead well to form a springy dough. Leave to rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in size.

Knock back the dough and divide into 18 pieces. Shape into balls with hands and place close to each other but not touching on a baking tray. Allow to prove in a warm place, covered, until doubled in size.

Cut pastry into 3/8" strips or make up a thick flour and water paste and put in piping bag. When the buns have doubled in size brush a little water in a cross over each bun and place two strips of pastry over the top; or if using flour paste pipe a cross on each bun.

Bake in a preheated (425 F) oven for 8-10 minutes. While the buns are baking heat sugar gently with water until you have a pale golden syrup. Brush this over the buns immediately you take them from the oven, then cool on a rack.