Easy Hot Cross Buns

I started off making Hot Cross Buns with Paul Hollywood's recipe.  But over the years I have simplified it, and now no longer glaze them as it just makes them too sticky in my experience. It also requires a bread machine with a dough cycle, or kneading the dough for 10 minutes in a food processor.

Makes 12 buns

500g strong white bread flour
75g caster sugar
7g quick yeast
125g dried mixed fruit
Zest of 1 orange (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp sunflower oil
300ml water

For the cross
1 tbsp plain flour

Add all the ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order specified by your bread machine, then knead on the dough cycle.  Turn off the machine and leave the dough to rise to the top of the warmed pan for 1 hour.  Set a timer so you don't forget it!

After an hour, tip the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 12 even pieces.  Shape into balls and place on a piece of greaseproof paper on a baking tray.  Leave to rise for another hour.

Heat the oven to 220C.  Mix the flour and water until you have a double cream consistency.  Spoon into a piping bag or a small plastic bag with the corner cut off to drizzle a line along each row of buns and back across the rows the otherway to make a cross.

Cook for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.  I found these browned very quickly and only needed 20 minutes.  But every oven is different so just watch them carefully the first time you make them and take notes.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

I tend to eat them like toasted teacakes.

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