Soft Hot Cross Buns

Into a bowl, add in all the dry ingredients; flour, salt, yeast, spice powder, and sugar. Whisk them together, so that everything is evenly distributed in the flour.In another bowl, add the milk, egg and softened unsalted butter then combine the wet and dry ingredients using the rear of a wooden spoon.

Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and knead the dough until we get a smooth dough. If you are using a stand mixer then it will be so much easier for you to knead the dough. Use the dough hook attachment and start kneading at low speed and then increase the speed. Let the dough sit and rise. In about 1 hour, the dough will get doubled in size. This rising time may vary according to the warmth of the place where the bowl is placed. Degas the dough and then add in the raisins or currants or any other dried fruits into the dough.

Mix them together so that the dry fruits get distributed evenly then divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.Let the rolls sit and proof for 45-60 minutes or until they get doubled in size.

Meanwhile, mix together flour and water until wet paste forms. Transfer runny mixture to a piping bag with a small round tip or a small zip-top plastic bag with a corner snipped off.

Pipe straight lines vertically and horizontally across risen buns to create crosses. Bake the buns at 375 F preheated oven for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 F and continue baking for the next 12-15 minutes.

Remove the rolls from the oven and brush the tops with light apricot jam or sugar syrup.