Hot Cross Buns from Ima Cuisine

Yael Schochat shares her famous hot cross buns recipe.

HOT CROSS BUNS RECIPE

Makes 24

For the buns

For the cross

130g cornflour 150g sugar 1 tsp salt 5 eggs 1 litre milk 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped) 70g butter

1. Mix the fresh yeast, milk, honey, flour and the soft butter in a bowl.

2. Tip dough onto a floured surface, knead and then leave to rise for one hour in a warm spot.

3. Once risen, add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, currants and mixed peel, and lightly knead until evenly distributed.

4. Divide the dough into 24 and round into even buns, lay out on a lined baking tray and leave to prove for a further 30 minutes, until expanded.

5. For the cross, mix the cornflour, sugar, salt and eggs into a paste.

6. In a pot, bring the milk and vanilla bean to a boil, then add the butter and paste and continue to cook, whisking until thick.

7. Using a piping bag, pipe the cross mixture in straight lines across the risen buns.

8. Bake the buns at 180C for 25 minutes.

9. If desired, glaze with sugar syrup once out of the oven.