Fruity Spiced Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns belong to Easter the way mince pies belong to Christmas, and the tradition of marking them with a cross goes back a long way in English baking. Nobody quite agrees on the story behind it, but the idea of a spiced, fruited bun on Good Friday has been around for centuries. This version keeps the spirit and swaps a few things around. Wholemeal flour gives a nuttier, more rustic crumb than white flour, and the banana and grated apple do a lot of the work that butter and extra sugar usually would.

A food fact worth knowing about that banana: the riper it is, the sweeter and softer it mashes, so those brown-speckled bananas at the bottom of the fruit bowl are exactly what you want here. The apple is a good trick too. Leave the skin on when you grate it, because it adds a little colour and a gentle bite, and it melts into the dough so you won't notice it as pieces.

A cooking tip that makes a real difference is the kneading. Wholemeal flour takes in water more slowly than white, so the dough can feel tacky for the first few minutes. Resist the urge to add a lot of extra flour. Keep a small dusting, use the heel of your hand, and give it the full five to ten minutes. When it springs back under a fingertip, it is ready. Fold the dried fruit in gently at the end so it doesn't tear the dough and bleed colour everywhere.

For the cross, use a sharp knife and score fairly deep, because the buns will puff a little in the oven and a shallow line can vanish. If you like a softer crust, brush the tops with a little warm milk or a thin glaze of sugar and water as they come out. They are best the day they are made, still a touch warm, but they keep well in an airtight tin for a couple of days. Toast the leftovers and spread them with a thin layer of butter or a smear of nut butter. Day-old buns also make a good bread-and-butter pudding base if you have a few going stale.

For something to serve alongside, a simple breakfast works well. A bowl of plain yoghurt with a spoonful of stewed fruit goes nicely with a warm bun. If you're after a lighter snack for later, try Fruity Wholegrain Bars with Walnuts for something with the same dried-fruit comfort. For a sweet treat that uses banana in a different way, Fluffy Chocolate Banana and Almond Cups is a quick one to make when you have a spare ripe banana. And if you're feeding a crowd, Chewy Apple, Fruit and Nut Bars travel well in a lunchbox.