Hot cross buns: a classic Easter recipe you need to try

For breakfast or as a snack, these buns are a real treat!

Ingredients

• 625g strong flour
• 275ml lukewarm milk
• 50g butter
• 125g currants
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 75g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 sachet yeast (7g)
• 1 tsp salt
• 50g marzipan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/Gas 8.

2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, mixed spice and salt. With your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, yeast and egg and mix, then add the milk and mix until it forms a soft dough.

3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until it feels smooth and elastic. Add the currants and combine.

4. Put into a greased bowl, cover and let rise for one hour. After one hour, shape the dough into 12 balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Let rise for 30 minutes.  

5. Place the buns into the pre-heated oven for 8 to 12 minutes.

6. When still hot, brush with hot golden syrup and lay a marzipan cross on each.

7. Put back in the oven for 3 minutes, then leave on a wire wrack to cool.