Ingredients

For the buns

  • 625g strong white plain flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 65g caster sugar
  • 65g unsalted butter-cubed
  • 250g mixed dried fruit
  • 7g easy-blend dried yeast
  • 250ml whole milk
  • 3 eggs

For the crosses and glaze

  • 75g plain flour
  • Runny honey or golden syrup for brushing

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to 220°c/425°f/gas mark 7.
  • Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the salt, mixed spice and sugar.
  • Rub in the butter and stir in the dried fruits and yeast.
  • Gently warm the milk, ensuring you don’t make it too hot (if you can’t hold your finger in the warmed milk, it’s too hot).
  • Beat the eggs into the milk and pour onto the dry mixture.
  • Mix into a dough, then leave to stand for five minutes.
  • Divide into 10 equal sized pieces, shape each into buns on a floured surface and place on baking sheets.
  • Cover loosely with cling film or a cloth and leave somewhere warm to prove until they increase in size by half again. This will take around an hour.
  • When raised, mix the remaining flour with a little water into a paste. Place the paste in a piping bag and pipe a cross on the top of each bun.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden.
  • While hot, brush the buns with either the honey or golden syrup.

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