HOt cross buns!

I'm very excited to share this recipe with you!
This is a winner! very tasty and light. ,mmmm..
Traditional spiced, sticky glazed fruit buns with pastry crosses. Served as a classic Easter treat, the buns can be also enjoyed at any time of year.

Ingredients
For the ferment starter:
1 large egg, beaten
215ml/7½fl oz warm water
15g/½oz fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
55g/2oz strong white flour
For the dough:
450g/1lb strong white flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice
85g/3oz butter cut into cubes
85g/3oz sugar
1 lemon, grated, zest only
170g/6oz mixed dried fruit
2 tbsp plain flour
oil, for greasing
1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing

Method
1. Prepare the ferment starter for the dough by combining the beaten egg with enough warm water to give approximately 290ml/½ pint of liquid. Whisk in the yeast, sugar and flour, cover and put in a warm place for 30 minutes. (I used instant yeast and left the starter to ferment overnight)
2. make the buns: sieve the flour, salt and spice into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre and put the sugar and lemon zest in the well. Pour on the ferment starter. (I added about 1 teaspoon of instant yeast)
3. Gradually draw in the flour and mix vigorously, then knead to a smooth, elastic dough.
4. Carefully work in the mixed dried fruit. Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a warm, greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
5. Turn out the dough and knead to knock out any air bubbles and give an even texture. Shape it into a ball again, put back into the bowl, cover and put back to rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Turn out the dough again and divide into 12 even pieces. Shape them into buns and leave to rest for a few minutes on the work surface covered with the tea towel.
7. Place the buns on a lightly greased baking sheet. Slightly flatten each bun and then cut into quarters, cutting almost all the way through the dough, so that as each bun rises, it has a well-marked cross on it. (I don't know about this part....obviously because the bread was left to rise with the cuts, the bun was kinda weird looking.. hence no pictures! :) so I think maybe..make the cuts before you bake the buns. Also, perhaps I made the cross too deep? or because I did not make cross paste?)
8. Grease a large polythene bag and place the tray with the buns in it and tie the end. Put in a warm place and leave to rise for 40 minutes. (hm..I fell asleep at this point and I'm sure it was about 40 minutes to an hour before I woke up! hahaa. )
9. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8. Make a paste for the crosses on the buns with the plain flour and 2 tbsp cold water. Mix until it is soft enough to pipe through a nozzle. (I preheated the oven at 250. but...after 15 minutes or so, I increased the temperature to 300C. I think it's better this way. To start at 300 and turn it down to 250 after 5-10 minutes)
10. Remove the polythene bag and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake the buns for 8 -12 minutes or until risen and golden. Brush the buns with hot golden syrup as soon as they are ready. Cool on a wire rack.

Spice mixture
I really can't remember what I put in the mix...I took this guide and kinda created my own mix. But this should be alright I think.

3/4 cup ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon grated nutmeg

Oh. duh! I have a french cook book.
Alright - so this is what Julia used in spice bread.
4 tsp anise seed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground mace

sorry no pictures..