Hot Cross Bun Recipe (using a breadmaker)

Pour the organic milk and free–range egg into the bowl of the breadmaker. (Reverse the order if your bread machine tells you so to do.)

Sprinkle over the white bread flour, ensuring that it covers the liquid. Add Steenbergs organic Fairtrade mixed spice and the organic cinnamon powder.

Then place the sea salt, caster sugar and butter in separate corners of the bread pan. 

Finally, make a small indent in the centre of the flour and put the yeast into there.

Set the bread machine to the dough setting; use the basic raisin dough setting if that option is available on your machine. Press start. 

Lightly grease 2 sheets of baking paper.

When the machine beeps or 5 minutes before the end of the kneading period, add the organic mixed peel, organic currants and organic sultanas.

When the dough is made, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. 

Knock it back gently, then divide into 12 pieces. 

Cup each piece between your hands and shape into a ball.

Place these balls on the prepared greased baking sheets, and cover with oiled clear film, and leave for 30 – 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. 

Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF.

Make the pastry crosses either by using some frozen shortcrust pastry cut into strips or making your own pastry. In a bowl, rub together the plain flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Bind together with a little bit of water to make a soft pastry which can be piped.  Spoon the pastry into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe a cross onto each bun.

Optional stage: If you want to be more traditional, you could cut into the buns rather than put on the pastry crosses. You do this by cutting into each pastry ball through the surface by not all the way down.

Bake the hot cross buns for 15 - 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the hot cross buns are in the oven, heat the milk and sugar together in a small pan to make the glaze. 

Stir thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved. 

Brush the glaze over the top of the baked hot cross buns, turn them onto a wire rack to cool, then serve immediately or leave to cool, reheating them when you want to eat them.

Tip: For the traditional cross you can use 50g / 2oz shortcrust pastry from the freezer or fridge section of your local shop, which you then cut into narrow strips, or add enough water to make it runny enough so that it can be piped as below