Put the flour and sugar into the bowl of a stand-mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and sprinkle in the spices and orange zest. Stir briefly and make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.

Add the yeast to one side of the bowl and salt to the other.

Add the egg, Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil and ¾ of the milk. Stir, bringing the ingredients together until all flour is just incorporated, adding more milk if necessary.

Fit a dough hook to your stand mixer and leave it to knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured worktop. It will take around 10 minutes to knead.

Grease the inside of a large bowl lightly with rapeseed oil then transfer the dough to it, cover with a damp tea-towel and leave in a warm place to prove for around 2 hours until doubled in size.

Knock back the dough, then add the dried fruit and chocolate chips and knead until well distributed (either in the stand-mixer or by hand).

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball.

Place the balls of dough on a lined baking sheet in rows of 4 (the balls should be approx. 3-4cm apart). Cover with the damp tea towel and leave to prove for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size (by which time they will be slightly touching each other.

Mix the dough for the crosses together and spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a small circular hole nozzle. Pipe lengthways across each row of buns. Next pipe widthways across the buns to form the crosses.

Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes until golden brown (rotate the baking sheet after 15 minutes to ensure an even bake).

While the buns bake warm up the orange juice and sugar for the glaze to dissolve the sugar. As soon as the buns come out of the oven brush this glaze over them.

Leave the buns to cool for 15 minutes then eat them warm or let them cool completely and serve them with butter.

Expert Tips

– On cooler days it may take longer for the dough to rise. It’s best not to rush it.

– A damp tea towel helps prevent the dough forming a dry crust as it proves.

– These buns are best eaten as soon as possible and within 24 hours.

– Slightly stale buns can be refreshed by reheating in the microwave for 15 seconds.

– If you would like to toast your hot cross buns, it is best to do so under a grill to avoid burning the top of the buns.

– They can be frozen – open freeze them and then store in freezer bags. Let defrost at room temperature before eating.