Chocolate Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients
50g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
1 heaped teaspoon 5 spice
1 whole nutmeg
200ml milk
1 large egg
400g white bread flour
50g good cocoa powder
1 x 7 g sachet of dried yeast
150g 70% dark chocolate
100g raisins or mixed dried fruit
3 tablespoons runny honey
Method
Place the butter, sugar, 5 spice, a good grating of nutmeg and a pinch of sea salt in a pan over low heat and warm gently until melted.
Remove from the heat, pour in the milk, then crack in the egg and whisk well.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl and add in the yeast. Make a well in the middle, then gradually pour in the milk mixture & stir.
Knead on a flour-dusted surface until smooth and springy.
Transfer to a flour-dusted bowl, cover with a clean damp tea towel and prove in a warm place for 2hours, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Chop half the chocolate into 12 equal-sized pieces and put aside, then finely chop the remaining chocolate into tiny chips. Chop any large dried fruits into smaller pieces.
When the dough is ready, transfer 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.
Grease a baking tray.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten one piece slightly, push a piece of chocolate into the centre, 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 on the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving a small gap between each bun.
Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for around 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
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.
Bake for 25 minutes and then brush with warmed honey.
