TO BUY

• 500g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 heaped tsp mixed spice
• 50g sugar
• 50g butter, chopped into cubes or partially frozen then grated
• 200g chopped dried figs
• 42g (1 block) fresh yeast
• 200ml milk
• 2 eggs

• 3 tbsp plain flour
• Honey or golden syrup, for glazing

TO DO:

1. Warm the milk to the temperature of a comfortable bath. Crumble in the yeast, give it a little mix and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, mixed spice and sugar.
3. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs, then stir through the figs. 
4. Add the eggs to the milk, mix well then add to the dry ingredients.
5. Mix together to form a moist dough.
6. Tip out onto a clean, floured surface and kneed with your hands for 10 mins.
7. Cut the dough into 8, roll each one into a ball and set on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. 
8. Cover loosely with cling film and set aside in a warm place until they are 1.5 times their original size. This will take 45 mins -1 hr 15 mins, depending on how warm the room is.
9. Preheat your oven to 220˚C.
10. Mix the remaining flour with 2tbsp water to make a paste. Put it into a zip lock bag and cut off about 1mm of one corner.
11. Pipe crosses (or any shapes you like!) onto the buns.
12. Bake for 12-15 mins, trim any untidy bits of the crosses, then brush while warm with honey or golden syrup and serve warm with salted butter and a cup of tea.