Hot Cross Buns

Cinnamon is a fabulous antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. It can also help improve digestion.

Ingredients

475g self-raising flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

½ tsp salt (omit for under 1s)

1 and ½ tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium egg

250ml whole milk

100g sultanas

40g golden caster sugar (optional)

Agave nectar (for the top of the buns)

75g plain flour (for the cross)

1 tsp agave nectar (cross)

Water (cross)

Method

Add your flour, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice to a bowl and combine.

Add your butter and work into the mixture with your fingertips until combined.

Lightly whisk your egg in a separate bowl and add this along with your sugar and sultanas to the bowl – then start adding your milk gradually to form a dough (if it’s too dry add a touch more milk, and if too wet add more flour, by adding the milk gradually you should get the right consistency).

Pull off balls from the dough and shape and place on your baking tray, you can use parchment paper or lightly butter your tray.

To make your paste add the flour and nectar to a bowl and start adding water, until you have the right consistency, you don’t want this too runny, and not too thick you can’t pipe – add to a piping bag and pipe crosses on your buns – I didn’t have a bag so I added to a food bag and cut a small hole in the corner.

Bake at 160d fan for 20-25 minutes, checking the inside is cooked by piercing with a skewer.

Whilst hot from the oven brush over the agave nectar, or fruit syrup if you prefer.