Soft Spiced Cross Buns (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Buns

01 - 3 teaspoons quick or fast-acting yeast (9 grams)
02 - 1/2 cup (110g) fine sugar
03 - 1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk, any fat content works
04 - 4 1/4 cups (640g) bread flour (regular flour works too)
05 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - 2 tsp Mixed Spice OR All Spice
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1 1/2 cups (210g) golden raisins
09 - Zest from 1-2 oranges
10 - 50g melted butter, cooled down
11 - 1 egg at room temp
12 - 1/4 cup (35g) bread flour for adjustments

→ Crosses

13 - 1/2 cup (75g) any white flour type
14 - 5 tbsp water

→ Glaze

15 - 1 tbsp apricot jam
16 - 2 tsp water

# Instructions:

01 - Throw flour, yeast, sugar, All Spice, cinnamon, and salt into a big bowl. Give it a quick mix using your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
02 - Dump in the butter, milk, egg, golden raisins and orange zest with your dry mixture.
03 - Turn on your stand mixer and let it run for 5 minutes until you get a stretchy, smooth dough. Begin at speed 2, then bump it up to speed 4 once everything's mixed together. If the dough's too sticky after a minute, add a bit more flour so it stops clinging to the bowl and your fingers. If you don't have a mixer, just knead by hand on a floured counter for 10 minutes. You'll know the dough's ready when it feels smooth and doesn't tear when stretched.
04 - Keep the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and stick it somewhere warm without drafts. Let it puff up until it's twice as big, which might take 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
05 - Get a 31.5 x 23.5 cm tray lined with baking paper, leaving some hanging over the edges. Take off the plastic wrap and punch the dough to knock the air out. Sprinkle some flour on your counter, plop the dough down, and shape it into a log to push out air bubbles. Cut it into 12 even pieces. Take each piece, flatten it with your palm, then pull the edges into the middle to make a ball. Roll it a bit to smooth the top, then place it smooth-side up on the tray. Do this with all pieces, arranging them in 3 rows of 4.
06 - Lightly spray some plastic wrap with oil and loosely cover the tray. Put it back in your warm spot and wait 30-45 minutes until the buns have grown about 75% bigger.
07 - While waiting for that second rise, turn your oven on to 180°C.
08 - Stir flour and water together until you get a thick but runny paste. Put this in a piping bag with a 3mm tip or a small ziplock bag with a tiny corner cut off. Take off the plastic wrap and slowly pipe crosses on each bun, following their curved tops.
09 - Stick the tray in your hot oven for 22 minutes, or until the tops turn a deep golden brown. The color on top tells you best when they're done.
10 - While they're baking, mix jam and water in a bowl and zap it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it up.
11 - Take buns out of the oven. Grab the paper edges to lift all the buns onto a cooling rack. Brush that warm jam mixture over them while they're still hot. Let them cool until just warm before eating.

# Notes:

01 - Make sure your yeast is still good by mixing 1 teaspoon yeast with 1/2 tsp white sugar and 1/4 cup warm water (40°C). Wait 10 minutes - it should foam up and smell yeasty.
02 - Your milk should feel comfortably warm on your finger, not hot enough to burn.
03 - Want to prep ahead? Do the first rise, shape the balls, then stick them in the fridge overnight. Next day, let them sit out for 2.5-3.5 hours before baking.
04 - These buns freeze really well. Just pop one in the microwave for 15 seconds to make it soft again.
05 - Fancy chocolate ones? Just swap out the raisins for 2 cups of chocolate chips.

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