To make the buns:

Put the milk in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high in 10 second bursts until it is just warm.

Add the sugar and yeast to the milk and whisk to combine – cover this mixture with a tea towel and set aside for about 10 minutes or until it is frothy.

Sift the flour into a large bowl and then also add the salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg – roughly mix.

Chop the butter roughly into squares and add this to the flour – use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until there are no lumps of butter left.

To the flour mix add the mixed fruit, eggs and the frothy yeast/milk mixture and stir to combine.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for around 5 minutes – until it all comes together and is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl that has been lightly greased, then roll the dough round in the bowl so the dough also becomes greasy – preventing it from sticking.

Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place in a warm place for around 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Remove the cling wrap and punch the air out of the dough before turning it out onto a floured surface and lightly kneading.

Divide the dough into 24 pieces**, briefly kneading and shaping each piece into a ball.

Arrange the dough balls, seam side down, in a 20 cm x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch) baking tray which has been greased or lined (especially the bottom) with baking paper.

Lightly spray a piece of cling wrap with cooking oil and use it to gently cover the tray so the dough doesn’t dry out.

Allow the dough to rise again for about 30 mins or until the dough balls have just less than doubled in size.

While this second rise is taking place preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F) and prepare the paste for the crosses.

To make paste for crosses:

Mix flour and icing sugar together.

Add water and oil and mix well.

Add mixture to a clean press seal bag.

Once the buns are ready to go into the oven remove the cling wrap from the tray and cut off a very small tip of one corner of the bag containing the cross paste.

Pipe crosses onto buns going slowly enough that you can hug the surface of each bun with the mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until buns have taken on a rich golden-brown colour.

Once baked combine the sugar and water for the glaze and brush over the buns while still hot.

Cool slightly and serve warm.