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chocolate hot cross buns on a wooden board
cookingwithmykids

Chocolate hot cross buns

Chocolate hot cross buns are a great alternative treat for any chocolate lover at Easter. Get your kids busy in the kitchen with this easy recipe.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Proving time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Afternoon tea
Cuisine: British
Calories: 337
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the buns
  • 450 g (3 ½ cups) strong white bread flour
  • 30 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder
  • 100 g (½ cup) caster sugar
  • 2 sachets dried fast action yeast
  • 200-250 ml (1+ cup) milk
  • 50 g (⅔ cup) butter
  • 1 egg
The spices and chocolate
  • ½ teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 75 g (½ cup) chocolate chips
For the crosses
  • 2 tablespoons of flour and water
For the glaze
  • 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and boiling water
  • or 2 tablespoons of apricot jam

Equipment

  • Digital scales
  • Freestanding mixer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • baking tray
  • Pastry brush
  • Wire rack

Method
 

Add the dry ingredients to a bowl
  1. Measure the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder out and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
    Pour the sachets of yeast in, then mix everything together with a spoon.
Add the wet ingredients
  1. Measure the butter, cut it into a few pieces, then melt it in the microwave or gently over the hob.
    Measure the milk into a jug. If you have digital scales, using the ml setting is the easiest way of doing this accurately. Gently heat the milk until it is warm, but not hot.
    Finally, crack the egg into a small bowl just in case any shell goes in.
  2. Make a well in your flour mixture, then add the egg. Start mixing it in then pour in the milk and melted butter, continuing to stir until it has all mixed in.
Knead the dough
  1. Once everything has come together knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until it is nice and stretchy.
    To make life a little easier, you can let the dough hook on your free-standing mixer do at least some of the hard work for you and then finish it by hand.
  2. Put the dough in a oiled bowl, cover it in cling film/glad wrap or a clean tea towel and leave it somewhere warm to rise for around an hour or until it's doubled in size.
Make the chocolate hot cross buns
  1. While the dough is rising, measure out the chocolate chips and spices into a small bowl.
    Line a baking tray with baking or parchment paper.
  2. Once the dough has risen, tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and 'knock it back' which basically involves kneading or bashing it a few times to knock the air out.
    Add the chocolate chips and spices and knead the dough until it is all evenly distributed.
  3. Divide the dough into 12 equally sized pieces.
    Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Try and tuck the top under so you have a nice smooth surface on the top
  4. Place each rolled bun onto your prepared baking tray. Leave a little bit of room between them so they've got space to expand. Cover the buns and leave them somewhere warm to rise again for about 20 minutes.
Bake the chocolate hot cross buns
  1. Heat your oven to 200C / 180C Fan / 390F.
  2. Once the buns have risen, mix the flour with a little bit of water so it is runny enough for you to pipe. Pop it in a small freezer bag (or piping bag), and cut a tiny hole in one corner. Pipe crosses on each bun.
  3. Bake the buns for around 15 minutes. They're ready when they've risen. You won't be able to tell they're ready by their colour, but you can carefully tap the bottom of a bun – if it sounds hollow it should be ready.
  4. Remove the chocolate hot cross buns from the oven and leave them on the baking tray. Mix the sugar and boiling water, or gently heat the apricot jam if you are using it for the glaze and brush it all over the buns.
  5. Leave them to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes then pop them on a wire rack to cool completely.