Hot Cross Buns

500g baker’s flour
50g caster sugar
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp dried instant yeast
350ml lukewarm milk
30g unsalted butter, softened or melted
200g choc bits, milk, dark, white or semi sweet, the choice is yours

flour paste
50g plain flour
3 tbs milk

glaze

100g caster sugar
100ml hot water

Place the flour, sugar, spices, salt and yeast in a large bowl and whisk together until combined.

Add the milk and butter to the flour mixture, stir with the handle of a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles a shaggy dough that just comes together. Using wet hands, fold the dough in half, rotate the bowl, fold again and repeat twice more. Place the bowl in a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for 5 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the plastic bag, add the chocolate chips and, using wet hands, fold and rotate as above until the choc chips have been mixed in.

Return the bowl to the plastic bag and leave in a warm place for 2 hours.

Line two baking trays with baking paper. Remove the dough from the plastic bag and divide into 12 even pieces that weigh about 80g each. Gently roll the dough around on the bench in little circles using the palm of your hand until a little bun is created. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Place the buns on the trays in plastic bags and leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours to prove.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced).

Just prior to baking, make the flour paste. Blend the flour and milk to form a thin paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag with a 2mm round nozzle. Pipe the paste in long lines down and then across the buns to form crosses.

Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the buns are golden and have risen evenly .

While the buns are baking, make the glaze by placing the sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened but is still clear (ie not turned amber or brown). Allow to cool.

Remove the trays from the oven. Let the buns cool on the trays for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. When the buns have cooled completely, brush with the sugar glaze.