Start by preparing your dried fruit. Use a chopper or food processor to chop the raisins and cherries super fine. This ensures they will be evenly distributed throughout the dough, giving you fruit in every bite.

In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Mix them well and set the bowl aside.

For the wet ingredients, add the sugar to the warm evaporated milk and stir. Next, add the active yeast to the milk mixture and give it a stir. The yeast is already activated, but this step confirms it’s alive.

Add the vanilla extract and the melted butter to the milk and yeast mixture. Stir to combine and then set it aside.

Back to your bowl of dry ingredients, add your finely chopped fruit. Pour in the wet ingredients and stir everything together until it is very well combined. The dough will be on the sticky side. This sticky, super soft texture is exactly what you want for the most amazing, pillowy buns.

To handle the sticky dough without making it dense, oil your hands and your work surface instead of adding flour. Adding too much flour will result in a dense bun. Knead the dough gently on the oiled surface.

Place the dough in a bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.

After an hour, punch down the dough to release the air inside. Grease your work surface again, turn the dough out, and cut it into equal-sized pieces.

Roll each piece into a smooth dough ball and place them in your favorite greased baking dish, arranging them close together.

Cover the dish and allow the buns to rise again for about 45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

After the second rise, create the crosses on top of the buns. The authentic Guyanese way is to simply use a pair of kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a cross into the top of each bun.

Place the dish into the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the buns are nice and golden brown on top.

While the buns are baking, make the glaze by combining one part water with two parts sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them generously with the hot sugar glaze.

Allow the buns to cool a little before serving. They will be incredibly pillowy soft on the inside with a rich flavor.