Here’s my recipe for Hot Cross Buns. Today we had them for morning tea with freshly brewed coffee sitting on the balcony in perfect weather – not too hot, not too cold. We always invite family or friends to share them. Delicious!

1 teaspoon dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

325 ml warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g (3-3.5 cups) flour  (I used a 7-grain flour from the health food shop)

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1/2 cup raisins or currants

Mix yeast, sugar and half the warm water in a bowl. Stand for 5 minutes until frothy. Add salt and oil.

Place flour and mixed spice in a bowl. Stir in yeast mixture and remaining water.

Mix to a dough. Tip out on the bench and knead, adding raisins, for 5 minutes until dough is springy.

Grease a clean bowl with a little olive oil. Place dough in it and cover. Keep in fridge overnight or allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hours. (I like to keep in fridge overnight).

Knead dough again and divide into 12 pieces. Place each bun on an oven tray covered with baking paper. Cover. Let rise for 2 hours.

Make crosses: Mix flour and cold water to a thick paste. Place in a plastic bag with a tiny hole, or a piping bag if you have it, and squeeze across buns to make crosses.

Bake at 200C for 20 minutes until hollow when tapped on the base.

Glaze the buns. This really makes them taste delicious.  Mix 1 cup icing sugar and  2 teaspoons mixed spice with boiling water to make a thin glaze. Brush over buns as soon as they come out of the oven.