Hot Cross Buns

Allow me to entertain you with the recipe I use for Hot Cross Buns, taken from Cooking With Creda (undated) in black and my commentary in red.

1 oz yeast (I use one pack of dry yeast)
4 oz sugar
3 gills of lukewarm milk (1 gill is a quarter of a pint)
1 3/4 lb flour (a good bread flour)
4 oz margarine
1/2 teaspoonful mixed spice (I tend to have quite a heavy hand with the mixed spice and think you should too)
4 oz sultanas (raisins and currents are good too)
2 oz chopped candied peel

Glaze: 1 flat tablespoonful of castor sugar
            1 tablespoonful of milk (I've been known to use honey or other glazes)

Composite scan of recipe pages

(It's worth noting at this point that the recipe is for glazed buns and the hot cross bun recipe tells you follow this one, but mark with a cross when proving before baking. "Marking" with a cross does not work; mix some plain flour and water to make a dough then roll into strips and press into the buns in a cross. As the buns will rise while baking but this dough will not make sure your cross is ludicrously oversized.)

Cream the yeast with a teaspoonful of the sugar and add the milk. Strain the liquid into 8 oz of the flour and stir thoroughly. Set this batter to rise, covered with a damp cloth, in a warm place for about an hour.
(Modern dried yeast doesn't need that long, or straining for that matter. It probably doesn't need this early batter stage at all to be frank but I keep it in because why not?)
Rub the fat into the remainder of the flour and mix in all the dry ingredients and fruit. Add this mixture to the sponged batter and beat in the eggs. beat with the hand for five minues. (Use a machine if you like, though for a shorter time) Cover and leave to rise again for another hour. (Again an hour probably isn't needed especially if proving somewhere warm like a modern house)
Now make the mixture into small round buns and leave to prove for 15 mins. (Here's where you put the cross on)
Bake at 475 F reducing at once to 425 F for 10 to 15 minutes on second runner from top and bottom of oven. (This is 245 C and 220 C respectively but a good modern oven doesn't need the pre-heating to a higher temperature. I would suggest baking them by eye and feel rather than time.) 
When cooked, brush the tops with the glze, returning to the oven (which should now be switched off) for a minute or two to dry.
Makes thirty-six buns (This is a lie, 20 or so is the usual number)     

Old Hot Cross Bun pic with 23 buns