Cranberry and pistachio hot cross buns

Method

• 1
  Brush a baking tray with melted butter. Combine the flour, dried cranberries (Craisins), pistachio, sugar, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the salt.
• 2
  Make a well in the centre. Add the milk, butter and egg. Use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.
• 3
  Turn onto a well-floured surface. Knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a large bowl with melted butter. Place dough in the bowl. Turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Place in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 1 1/2 hours or until dough doubles in size.
• 4
  Preheat oven to 200C. Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic and has returned to its original size. Divide into 12 equal portions. Shape into balls. Place, side-by-side, on the prepared tray. Place in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 1-2cm.
• 5
  To make the cross paste, combine the flour and water in a bowl until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 2mm plain nozzle. Pipe in a continuous line along the centre of each row of buns. Repeat in the opposite direction to make crosses. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and the buns sound hollow when tapped on the base.
• 6
  To make the glaze, replace the sugar and water in the Traditional Hot Cross Bun recipe with the apricot jam. Heat the jam in a small saucepan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until melted. Strain the jam through a fine sieve. Use a pastry brush to brush the jam over the buns.