Prep time – 20 minutes
Cook time – 75 minutes

Ingredients

Dough

• 6 tsp (25g) compressed yeast (or 1 ½ teaspoons Active Yeast)
• 1 tsp Standard Grade Flour (first measure)
• 1 tsp White Sugar (first measure)
• 1 ¼ cup Fresh Milk, scalded
• 4 cups Standard Grade Flour (second measure)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp mixed spice
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 60g Butter
• ¼ cup White Sugar, extra (second measure)
• 1 cup sultanas or sultanas/currants/peel
• 1 egg, beaten

Cross Paste

• 1 cup Standard Grade Flour
• cold water

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon Caster Sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon gelatine (optional)

Method

Dough

1. Crumble Active Yeast into a small bowl, add the first measure of Standard Grade Flour and White Sugar.
2. Mix in the Fresh Milk which has been cooled to blood heat, cover and leave in warm place for 10 mins.
3. Sift the second measure of Standard Grade Flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a large bowl; rub in the Butter and add the second measure of White Sugar and sultanas.
4. Add the beaten egg to the sponged yeast mixture. Add yeast/egg mixture into the flour mixture until a soft dough is formed. Knead until light and smooth and no longer sticky.
5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a clean cloth and allow to stand in a warm place until double in bulk (about 40 minutes).
6. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, punch down and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even-sized pieces - knead each into a round shape. Place on a greased slide tray 1cm apart. Cover and stand in a warm place until well risen (about 10-15 minutes).

Cross Paste

1. Mix sufficient cold water into the Standard Grade Flour to make a soft paste and pipe a cross on each bun (pour mixture into a plastic bag, snip one corner and pipe onto buns).
2. Bake at 220°C conventional (200°C fan forced) for about 20 minutes.

Glaze

1. Heat the Caster Sugar, water and gelatine (optional) in a saucepan and simmer 1 minute.
2. When the buns are cooked glaze them with the gelatine mixture while still hot.

Additional Information

Makes 16 servings.