Giant Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter! I hope you're having a great day with family and friends (and chocolate) if you're celebrating Easter, and if not; just a lovely Sunday! Here's a little Easter recipe I've tried out this week, so if you're in the mood for a bake, listen up...
I don't usually make hot cross buns and try and stay away from baking anything bread based (scones/cake I can do, but bread seems like there's too many things that could go wrong) but when Merchant Gormet asked if I'd like to make some, I thought, why not?! Of course I enlisted the help of my sister, who knows about proving, kneading and all things baking.

1. Add the flour, yeast, salt, dulce de leche and cinnamon to a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in warm milk, water, raisins, mixed peel, apple and the zest. Mix to a firm dough. Trasnfer the dough to a floured worktop and knead for around 10 minutes until it's elastic and bouncy.
2. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to rest for 20 minutes - this will make the dough easier to shape into buns.
3. Get a medium sized bowl and mix together 200g dulce de leche and chestnut puree. This will be used for the filling.
4. Cut the dough into 12 even sized pieces...or 6 if you slip up somewhere along the lines with the maths. Mind 6 large ones is just as good! Dust the worktop with flour. Flatten the dough pieces into 8-10cm circles. Put a spoonful of the filling mixture into the center of the dough. Lightly dampen the edges of the dough and fold it over so the filling is completely encased. Turn each bun so the join is on the bottom and roll between your palms until the tops are smooth.
5. Lightly oil a baking tray and lay the buns on, just touching each other. They will grow together as they prove. Leave to prove for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a warm place. They should nearly double in size.
6. Preheat your oven to 22c/position upper middle shelf.
7. While the buns prove, mix together the flour, egg and water for the crosses to make a stiff, smooth paste. Put this in a piping bag with a fine nozzle.
8. Once the buns have risen, brush them with the egg yolk and milk mixture. Pipe a cross on top of each.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden. If, like me, you have 6 giant buns, they may take a little longer than 15 minutes.
10. Warm the apricot jam in the microwave and brush this over the buns as soon as they come out the oven.
11. Transfer to a rack to cool, then enjoy!

Taste test - yes they're really good. The apricot jam makes them a bit sticky so go sparingly with that once they're out of the oven. I'd definitely recommend toasting them, or popping in the microwave to warm through if you don't eat them straight away.
Do you like hot cross buns? Would you try making them?

Thanks for sending the ingredients over Merchant Gormet, and for the recipe!