Cross buns

Ingredients:

Dough

• 3/4 cup whole milk, heated to 36°C
• 4 tsp. instant dry yeast
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 0.5 cups vegetable oil
• 3 and 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/3 cup dark raisins
• 1/4 cup diced candied fruit

Hot glaze

• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze

• 3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. milk + more as needed

Preparation:

1. Dough: Place all ingredients except the raisins and candied fruit in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, or in a large bowl. Knead the dough on low speed until it comes together, then increase the mixer speed to high and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (the dough will be soft and stick to the bottom of the bowl). If kneading by hand, stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Towards the end of the kneading, add the raisins and candied fruit and fold them in. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 75-90 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball using the palm of your hand on the counter. Place the buns in a greased 22x32 cm (9x13 in) pan, leaving space between them. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the buns rise for another 45 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Unwrap the buns and bake for 25-30 minutes, until richly browned. While they're still hot, prepare the glaze.
4. Hot glaze: Bring the sugar, water, and vanilla to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Brush the still-warm buns with the resulting syrup, using it all. Cool the buns completely in the pan.
5. Glaze: Mix powdered sugar with milk until it reaches a consistency suitable for piping (add a few more drops of milk if needed). Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a narrow tip and pipe crosses on the surface of each bun. Let the icing set for an hour, then serve.
   
   The buns can be stored, tightly wrapped, for up to a day.