hot cross buns
rating: 450g strong bread flour
1tsp salt
2tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp ground allspice
1 sachet (7g) dried yeast
75g raisins
75g glacé cherries
grated rind of 1 orange, 1 lemon, 1 lime
110g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
2tsp vanilla extract
250ml milk
1 egg, beaten
Paste of 80g plain flour, 2tbsp sugar, 100ml water
Glaze of 2tbsp brown sugar, 3tbsp milk, 1tbsp marmalade
Sift flour, salt and spices into a large bowl and mix in the yeast, fruit, rind and sugar. Melt butter, stir in milk and vanilla extract and heat until tepid. Whisk into egg, add to flour mixture, form a dough and knead on a floured surface for 10min until smooth and elastic. Divide into 12 buns, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for about 90min, till doubled in size.
Mix the paste and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake at 180C for 10min, reduce the heat to 150C and bake for a further 15min. Lightly brush with the glaze and cool on a rack.
