This firm favourite gets a twist with the addition of cranberries, pistachios and chocolate chips.
• Makes: 12 buns
• Preparation time: 35 minutes, plus rising time
• Baking time: 20 minutes
• Oven temperature: 180°C
Ingredients:
• 500g flour
• 60g Muscovado sugar
• pinch of salt
• 10ml cinnamon
• 50g dried cranberries
• 50g chopped pistachios
• 50g chocolate chips
• 10g instant yeast
• 350ml warm milk
• 75g butter at room temperature
For the crosses:
• 100g flour
• 50ml oil
• 125ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten
Glaze:
• 25ml apricot jam, melted
Method:
1. Mix the dry ingredients together. Whisk the milk and butter together and mix into the flour mixture. Knead this in the mixing bowl until the dough comes together, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead some more until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a clean bowl sprinkled with flour, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size.
2. Press down on the dough to compress it and divide it into 12 equal buns. Place the buns on a greased baking tray and allow to stand for 20 minutes to rise.
3. Meanwhile, mix the flour, oil and milk together until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe a circle or cross on alternate buns. Brush beaten egg over and bake the buns in a preheated oven until cooked and golden brown (about 20 minutes). Brush with apricot jam as soon as they come out.