Homemade Hot Cross Buns

Instructions

1. To start
   Line a large baking tray with baking or parchment paper and set aside. Add warm water to a small bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top and leave for a few minutes to react.
2. Add 280 grams (two cups) of flour to a large mixing bowl. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Then add the raisins, separating them with your fingers if they stick together. Set aside.
3. Add milk and butter to a small saucepan and place on a low heat, stirring, while the milk warms and the butter melts.
4. Once the butter is melted, remove the milk mixture from the heat. If it is hot to the touch, leave to cool for a minute or two. You want the milk to be warm but not hot. Also, check your yeast has reacted and started to bubble a little on the edges.
5. Make dough
   To make the dough, add eggs and milk mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add sugar and salt and whisk gently or stir with spoon just to combine. Then add your flour mix (with the spices and raisins) and start to mix on medium speed. Add yeast mixture, water and all, and continue to mix.
6. Gradually add the remaining flour, until a nice soft dough forms. Once the dough comes together, remove it from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured bench. Knead it by hand for a few minutes or until it is soft and smooth. Add a little flour to the bench and/or your hands if it gets a little sticky – but not too much as we want the dough to be nice and light.
7. Let dough rise
   Bring your dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been lightly greased with butter or oil. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it to rise for approximately 1 hour or until its doubled in size.
8. Shape dough
   Next, gently push the air out of your dough using your fist. Then take the dough out of the bowl and knead gently for a minute before cutting it into 12 even-sized balls of dough. Gently shape into balls and then place on prepared baking tray in four rows of three. Leave space in between each roll. Once they rise again, they should be touching.
9. Let dough rest
   Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for at least 30 minutes. Or until they have all joined together and almost doubled in size.
10. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced.
11. Make flour paste
    Sift your flour into small bowl. Add water and stir with a spoon until smooth. Transfer your flour mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small tip and pipe a straight line over the buns, horizontally and then again, vertically to form a cross on each one.
12. Bake buns
    Bake buns for approximately 18-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
13. Make sugar glaze
    Just before the buns are ready, start making the sugar glaze. Add your sugar and water to a small saucepan and place on a medium-low heat until bubbling. As soon as the buns are ready, remove them from the oven and then immediately brush them with the sugar glaze.