500g Strong white bread flour
10g salt
80g caster sugar
35g fresh yeast
40g butter, room temp
2 eggs, beaten
120ml milk, warmed
120ml tepid water
250g mixed fruit
Zest of 1 orange & 1 lemon
1 apple, peeled & diced
1 tsp mixed spice
1tsp cinnamon
Apricot jam , for glazing
For the crosses:
80g plain flour
80ml water
1. Add the flour to a large mixing bowl, add the salt and sugar to one side and the yeast to the other. Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the butter, eggs, milk & roughly half the water, start to combine the mixture with your fingers, adding the extra water a little at a time, until you have picked up all of the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need all of the water or you may need a little more, keep mixing until you get a rough dough, your dough should be soft, not soggy.
2. Empty your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 10 minutes, initially the dough will feel wet but as you work the dough it will become soft and smooth,
3. Add the dough to a clean lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel, leave to rise until doubled in size, usually 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, scatter over the mixed fruit, zest, apple & spices, knead the dough until these additions are evenly incorporated.
5. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, and roll into balls, place onto a lined baking sheet close together but not touching., leave the dough to rise again for roughly an hour, it should double in size, at this stage it is a good idea to place the baking tray in a clean plastic bag, don't let the plastic touch the dough.
6. Preheat you over to 200C fan.
7. Mix the water and plain flour into a paste, add to a piping bag and pipe the mix across the risen buns.
8. Bake the bun for 15-20 mins, they should be golden brown. Gently warm the apricot jam, then brush over the tops of the warm buns to glaze. allow the bun to cool before serving.