Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

Dry ingredients: weigh the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Stir to mix.

Wet ingredients: measure the butter into a microwave safe jug and blitz to melt.

Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and roughly mix with a spoon.

Use your freestanding mixer with a dough hook to mix on a slow speed for 6 minutes. Alternatively, knead by hand for around 10 minutes.

Transfer into an oiled mixing bowl and cover. Leave to rise until doubled in size. This normally takes between 1- 2 hours depending on how warm it is. If the room temperature is cold, I put mine in the oven set on dough setting at 42°C and it takes around 2 hours.

When it has doubled in size, knock the dough back with your hand and then remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Briefly knead.

Now add the add-ins: I use 2 different add-ins, chocolate and dried fruits, which I add separately. Divide the dough in half.

Flatten one half and add the chopped chocolate. Gently knead into the dough.

Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and knead each part into a ball shape.

Flatten the other half and add the dried fruit. Gently knead into the dough.

Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and knead each part into a ball shape. If there are any dried fruit on the surface, remove them and tuck them inside the centre of the dough on the underside. This is to avoid them burning and becoming bitter.

Let the dough balls rise: spread out the dough balls on lightly greased baking parchment on a baking tray.

Cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size. This normally takes around an hour – 1 hour and 15 minutes. If the room temperature is cold, I put mine in the oven set on dough setting at 42°C.

Add the crosses: Preheat oven to Fan Oven 200°C /220°C/425°F/Gas 7

Mix the flour and water until smooth and transfer to a piping bag.

Pipe crosses onto the dough balls

Transfer to the centre of a hot oven and immediately reduce the temperature to Fan Oven 160°C /180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

Cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

As soon as they come out of the oven, brush with hot golden syrup to glaze.

Transfer onto a cooling rack.