Beer hot cross buns

Ingredients

These delicious Easter Hot Cross Buns made with fine winter beer are guaranteed to make you feel better about the end of summer

This recipe is based on Dan Lepard of The Guardian’s Spiced Stout Buns recipe.

Combine the beer, yeast, spices and 320 grams of flour in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together the peel, raisins and tea. Leave both to stand overnight.
The next day, combine the fruit mixture with the egg and butter, then stir into the spiced beer dough. Add the remaining 550 grams of flour, and the sugar and salt, and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Oil your hands and worktop (or spread with a sheet of greaseproof paper), then knead the dough for half a minute (the dough may seem too dry at this point but stick with it, it will moisten up as you knead with oily hands). Let it rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this process two more times, then leave the dough to sit for an hour.
Divide and shape the dough into balls, and place, touching, on a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Leave to stand for a further 90 minutes.
Set oven to 200°C. Mix a paste of flour with water and a little caster sugar, and pipe or place crosses on top of each bun.
Bake the buns for 25 minutes, take out and allow to cool slightly. While still hot, brush buns with a tablespoon of caster sugar mixed with hot water.