Ultimate Hot Cross Buns

Pour the tea into a large bowl, then stir through the milk and mixed dried fruit. Set aside and let it steep and come down to lukewarm temperature (around 37°C).

Put the sugar, orange zest and lemon zest into another large bowl. Rub together until the sugar goes sandy. Stir through the flour, mixed spice and salt.

Once the tea mixture is lukewarm, discard the tea bag and whisk the yeast and egg into the milky mixture. Stir the wet ingredients and butter into the flour until a dough forms. Tip onto a clean work surface and knead for 10-15 mins until a smooth dough forms. The dough will start off very tacky and sticky, but trust the process – keep kneading and it will transform. Form the dough into a ball and place into a bowl lightly greased with butter. Cover and prove for 1-1½ hrs until doubled in size.

Once proved, tip the dough out onto a clean surface. Portion out into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth, taught ball and place into a 30cmx22cm baking tin greased with butter. Loosely cover and set aside to prove for 45 mins-1 hr, until puffy. You can test the dough by gently poking it with a wet finger – if it slowly bounces back and leaves an indentation, it’s ready.

Halfway through proving, heat the oven to 180°C. Add the ingredients for the cross into a bowl and gently stir until just combined. Transfer to a sandwich or piping bag and snip a tiny bit of the corner off. Once the buns are proved, pipe the crosses on.

Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Once baked, gently heat the apricot jam and brush it over the warm hot cross buns. Leave to cool before serving.