Recipes On How to Make Hot Cross Buns

 

             

Take your hot cross buns to a whole new level of deliciousness with chocolate dough and a secret melting middle-trust me, you're going to love them. Best served warm in the oven.

 

Ingredients

50 g unsalted butter

50 g golden caster sugar

1 heaped teaspoon of mixed spice

1 whole nutmeg, for grating

200 ml semi-skimmed milk

1 large free-range egg

400 g strong white bread flour, plus 2 tablespoons extra for dusting

50 g quality cocoa powder

1 x 7 g sachet of dried yeast

150 g quality dark chocolate, (70%)

100 g raisins, or mixed dried fruit

3 tablespoons runny honey

Method

1. Place the butter, sugar, mixed spices, a good grating of nutmeg, and a pinch of sea salt in a pan over low heat and warm gently until melted, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove from the heat, pour in the milk, then crack in the egg and whisk well.

3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl and tip in the yeast. Make a well in the middle, then gradually pour in the milk mixture, stirring and bringing in the Flour from the outside to form a rough dough.

4. Knead on a powdered surface for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a flour-sprinkled bowl, cover with a clean, damp tea towel, and wake up in a warm place for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the size doubles.

5. Divide half of the chocolate into 12 equal parts and chop the rest of the chocolate into small chips. Cut large dried fruits into small pieces.

6. When the dough is ready, transfer it to a clean surface and use your fist to knock out the air. Roughly stretch and flatten out the dough, sprinkle over the chocolate chips and dried fruit, then knead for a few minutes until smooth again, pushing any chocolate or fruit that escapes back into the dough.

7. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/ gas 4, and grease and line a 25 cm x 35 cm baking tray.

8. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten one piece slightly, push a piece of chocolate into the center, snapping it to fit, if needed, then fold the dough back over the chocolate to trap it inside. Shape the dough into a neat ball and place it on the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving a small gap between each bun.

9. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to stay in a warm place for around 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

10. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with enough water to give you a thick batter consistency, then transfer to a piping bag. Pipe thin crosses across the top of the buns.

11. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden, then transfer to a cooling rack. Warm the honey a little to loosen, then gently brush over the buns to glaze.

12. Slice open while warm to enjoy the melting middle-delicious served with a little butter and a pinch of sea salt if you like.

Tips

I like to apply a rosemary or thyme sprig as a broom for the honey once I glaze the buns. It simply offers the entirety of an excellent herby fragrance.