Step 1

Put the milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low until it is lukewarm in temperature, a few minutes. The milk should be body temperature rather than scalding or cold. Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, then tip in the flour, sugar, yeast, spices, salt and eggs.

Step 2

Mix on low until shaggy and rough, then turn the speed to medium-high. Continue to knead for another four minutes, until a well combined, firm dough ball has formed.

Step 3

Add in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, until it is all used up, then tip in the sultanas and peel. Raise the speed again and knead until the dough is smooth and velvety, six more minutes.

Step 4

Scrape into a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Once risen, give the dough a light punch to deflate it. At this point, you can either proceed with the recipe as directed, or re-cover and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill overnight, for use the next morning.

Step 6

Scrape the dough out and onto a lightly floured work surface then divide it into 12 even-sized portions. To form a tight bun, fold the edges of the dough into the centre before rolling it gently, see the video for reference. If you have a scale, they should weigh about 95 grams each or fit into the cup of your hand.

Step 7

Arrange into a large baking dish, positioning together but not touching, then loosely sheath the top with cling film. Again, leave to rise for 30 minutes, or an hour if using chilled dough.

Step 8

Meanwhile, position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Step 9

To make the crosses, whisk together the flour and water to form a smooth paste, then scrape it into a piping bag. It's fine to add a bit more water to the paste if it's too stiff, half a tablespoon at a time as needed. The paste should be smooth and thick, but not so thick that it's unable to be piped or too thin that it spreads a lot.

Step 10

Use a pastry brush to coat the buns in a bit of egg wash, then snip the tip off the bag, and pipe a cross over the top of each.

Step 11

Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Make sure to rotate them halfway through, for even colouring.

Step 12

While the buns are baking, put the sugar, water, juice, peel, quill, cloves, star anise and rum (if using) in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved. Let it come to a simmer and cook out for a minute, then remove and set aside.

Step 13

When the buns are done, remove from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack. Immediately brush the glaze over them, until glistening. Serve soon after. They're best eaten warm on the day of making, but are fine to be kept for about two days after and reheated.