Whether you celebrate Easter or not, hot cross buns are a delicious treat that the entire family can enjoy.

Making the buns is quick and easy enough for even novices in the kitchen to be able to complete and while it requires little effort to pick up a pack from your local supermarket, just the smell of the buns as they bake in the oven is enough to encourage anyone to roll up their sleeves and get baking.

You can add you own twists to the recipe but for a basic hot cross bun you can’t go wrong with keeping it simple.

Ingredients

For the buns

- 625g white flour

- 45g unsalted butter

- 85g caster sugar

- 1 medium egg

- 275ml room temperature milk

- 125g mixed dried fruit

- 1 ½ tsp fast action yeast

- 1tsp salt

- 2 ½ tsp ground mixed spice

- Zest of 1 lemon

For the topping

- 2 tbsp plain flour

- 1 tbsp golden syrup

Method

- For the buns, in a large bowl sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed and then rub in the butter. Then add the yeast, sugar and lemon zest.

- Beat the egg and add to the flour, followed by the room temperature milk and mix to form a dough

- On a floured surface work the dough until it is well combined and knead until it is smooth.

- Grease a large mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the bowl and then leave it to prove for an hour with a tea towel over the top.

- Once the dough has proved, knead it again then return it to the covered bowl for a further half an hour.

- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with the tea towel and set aside to rest for 5–10 minutes.

- Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns. Wrap the tray with the buns on it loosely in greaseproof paper, then place inside a large polythene bag. Tie the end of the bag tightly and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise.

- Now prepare the topping by mixing the flour with water to make a smooth paste.

- Once the buns have risen again pipe the flour mixture into a cross on each bun

- Bake the buns in an oven preheated to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 8 for between 8 and 12 minutes (depending on their size)

- Remove the golden buns and brush with warm golden syrup to glaze.

- Allow to cool before eating!