Pour 100mls of the warm milk into a bowl or jug and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set the bowl to one side and leave for 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
In another bowl, gently whisk the remaining 50 mls of milk, egg and honey.
In a large mixing bowl, mix your flour, salt and spices. Cut your butter into cubes and add into the mixing bowl. Rub the butter and flour together with your fingers until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Peel, core and finely dice the apple. Add the diced apple and the currants into your mixing bowl containing the flour, and mix well.
Add the egg and honey mixture to your yeast mixture and stir to mix. Add the wet yeast mixture into your large mixing bowl of flour and fruit. Stir well with a spoon and then use your hands to bring the dough together, you want the dough to be just dry enough to knead without it sticking to the surface. If the dough is too sticky add some more flour. If it is too dry then add some water.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes or so, until it is smooth and slightly elastic. Then return the dough to the large mixing bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise.
When the dough has nearly doubled in size you can make the buns. Wholemeal dough needs extra time to rise so be patient. Depending on your flour and yeast, it can take up to 1.5 hrs for the dough to rise.
Gently knead the dough again to knock it down slightly. Then roll the dough into a fat sausage. Using a knife, cut the dough into 8 even sized rounds. Use your hands to shape each piece of dough into a round bun. Place each bun on a lightly oiled baking tray.
Put the buns back into a warm environment and allow to rise again for half an hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
While the buns are rising, make the crosses (steps 11 - 12 are optional). Make a dough by mixing together the extra 50g of flour and 50mls of water in a small bowl.
Using floured hands, roll the dough into thin sausages and lay them in a cross over the hot cross buns.
Glaze each bun with beaten egg and a sprinkle of coconut sugar if desired.
Place a baking tray of boiling water at the base of the oven – this gives the buns a lovely crisp exterior. Then bake your hot cross buns for 20 minutes until they are golden brown and nicely crisp on the bottom. Allow to cool slightly before eating.
