Hot cross buns

Recipe by the team at Matthews Cotswold Flour near Chipping Norton

Makes 12

Cotswold Churchill strong white flour 375g, plus 75g for piping

Salt 9g

Fresh yeast 25g

Butter 60g, softened

Whole milk 160ml

Mixed spice 1 tbsp

Mixed dried fruit 80g, soaked in orange juice for 2 hours

Mixed peel 25g

Apricot jam 1 tbsp cotswoldflour.com

1 Using a stand mixer on a medium speed, combine the flour, salt, yeast, butter, milk and mixed spice until smooth.

2 Remove the mixed fruit from the orange juice and give it a good squeeze to remove any excess liquid before adding it to the dough along with the mixed peel. Mix for 5 minutes at a medium speed then rest the dough for 5 minutes.

3 Split the dough into 12 x 50g balls and place on a large baking tray lined with parchment, making sure there is a good amount of space between each ball. Cover with clingfilm and leave the dough to prove for at least 1½ hours at room temperature.

4 While the dough is proving, make a paste by mixing 75g of flour with 5 tbsp of cold water until smooth. Preheat the oven to 200°C / gas 6.

5 Once proved, pipe a cross on each ball using the flour and water mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 20‑25 minutes until golden brown.

6 While the buns are baking, heat the jam with a little water. When the buns are cooked, remove the buns from the oven and brush with the warm apricot jam. Leave to cool.

7 Serve toasted with lashings of salted butter.