500g Plain Flour (For best results I use Bread Flour)
30g Compressed yeast or 2 sachets of Dried Yeast
1/2 Cup Luke-Warm Water
1/2 Cup Boiled Milk, cooled
4 Tbl Brown Sugar
1tsp Cinnamon
50g Soft Butter
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Cups Dried Fruit of your choice.
For example, I use 3/4 Cup Sultanas and 3/4 Cup Dried Apricots, but some other great choices are 1/2 Cup Chopped Dried Apricots with 1/2 Cup Dried Dates or Figs and 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts, maybe try Craisins or if you want to please the kids, why not Choc-Chips?
Crosses:
4 1/2 Tbl Flour
3 Tbl Water
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
Bun Glaze:
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1 tsp Gelatine
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Directions:
Mix the yeast with a pinch of sugar and the water and allow to ferment for about 15 minutes. I turn on my coffee machine and sit the bowl on top for a bit of gentle heat.
Sift the flour, salt and cinnamon together.
Add the sugar.
Make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the yeast mixture and milk, add butter and the egg.
Mix to form a soft dough, adding a little extra water if necessary. I usually end up adding about 2 Tablespoons extra.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
Press out into a flat shape and add the fruits and nuts.
Roll up and knead a little more until the fruit is mixed in.
Return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Again I place the bowl on top of my coffee machine.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Punch dough down and divide into 16 pieces.
Shape each into a ball and place close together on a greased baking tray.
Cover with a tea-towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes until they have doubled in size.
Combine the cross ingredients to form a smooth paste.
Pour into a freezer bag, tie the top and cut off one corner to form a 3mm opening. I prefer to use a piping bag with a small round nozzle.
Pipe this mixture to form crosses on the buns.
Bake buns in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
Place buns on a wire cooling rack and brush with the glaze.
Bun Glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Bring to the boil.
Brush over buns while they are still hot.
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