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Chocolate & Spice Hot Cross Buns

Writer's picture: Jo AndersonJo Anderson

Taken from BBC Good Food Magazine



Flecked with dark chocolate, cinnamon, orange zest and plump raisins, these buns make an extra-special Easter treat!


Prep Time: 40 minutes, plus proving time

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes


Ingredients

For the dough

  • 225ml/8fl oz semi-skimmed milk

  • 50g/2oz unsalted butter plus extra for greasing

  • zest of 1 large orange

  • 1 large egg

  • 450g/1lb strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting

  • 2 tsp fast-action yeast

  • 50g/2oz golden caster sugar

  • 1 tsp salt

  • sunflower oil for greasing


For the flavouring and glaze

  • juice of 1 large orange

  • 140g/5oz raisins

  • 100g/4oz dark chocolate (73%) buttons

  • 1tsp ground cinnamon

  • 4 tbsp golden caster sugar


For the crosses

  • 100g/4oz plain flour


Method

Step 1

  • Heat the milk in a pan until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the butter.

  • After a couple of minutes, beat in the egg and half the orange zest. Allow to cool to just warm for the next step

Step 2

  • Mix the strong flour, yeast, 1tsp salt and sugar in a bowl then tip in the warm liquid and stir to make a soft dough with no dry patches

  • Flour the work surface and your hands, and knead the dough for 5 mins until smooth and elastic

  • Oil a large bowl, sit the dough inside it and cover with oiled cling film

  • Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size

Step 3

  • Put the raisins and half the orange juice in a small pan and simmer for a few minutes before allowing to cool completely

  • Put the chocolate, cinnamon and 2 tbsp sugar into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Mix in the rest of the orange zest. If you don’t have a processor, chop it by hand or grate it, then mix with the other ingredients.

Step 4

  • Turn out the risen dough onto a floured surface and press it out to about the size of an A4 sheet of paper

  • Scatter the dough with the chocolate mix and soaked (and drained) raisins and fold into a ball, then knead well for a few minutes to incorporate the ingredients

Step 5

  • Grease and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment

  • Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each bun into a purse shape with a smooth surface at the bottom

  • Place the buns smooth-side up onto the baking sheet leaving room for rising

  • Cover loosely with oiled cling film and prove in a warm place for 30-45 mins or until dough has risen and doesn’t spring back quickly when prodded gently

Step 6

  • Heat the oven to 190C /170 fan

  • To make the paste for the crosses, gradually stir 6-7 tbsp water into the plain flour to make a smooth, thick paste and put into a food bag. Snip off the corner to about 5mm

  • Pipe the crosses onto the buns and bake for approx. 20-25 mins until the buns are golden brown

  • Mix the rest of the orange juice with the remaining sugar and let it dissolve. Brush the syrup over the buns whilst still hot then leave to cool




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