Chocolate Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Making hot cross buns is incredibly easy with this Chocolate Hot Cross Buns recipe. Filled with chocolate chips plus cocoa in the dough, your family will be coming back for more.This recipe has rising time, Make sure to plan ahead.
Ingredients
- 57 g unsalted butter (¼ cup / ½ stick)
- 300 ml milk (10 floz)
- 520 g plain (all purp) flour (4 cups / 18.5oz)
- 35 g unsweetened cocoa (⅓ cup / 1.5oz)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry) (1 sachets / 7g)
- ½ cup white granulated sugar (100g / 3.5oz)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup chocolate chips (200g / 7oz)
To top
- 1 egg yolk, beaten with a dash of water
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tablespoon plain (all purp) flour
- 2 ½ tablespoons water (50ml) (notes)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and half the milk together. Add the remaining cold milk to cool it down a bit and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment, add the flour, cocoa, yeast, sugar and cinnamon and give it a mix together (no standmixer? see note 4).
- Check the milk mixture is just warm and not hot (if hot, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until just warm) then pour it into the flour mixture along with the vanilla. Give it a slight mix until starting to clump together then add the egg.
- Beat on low for around 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Use a dough scraper to pull the dough together and lift it out of the bowl. Spray with olive oil spray, then place it back in the bowl. Spray the top of the dough lightly with oil too. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured board. Gently knead in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Don’t knead for too long.
- Shape into a ball of dough. Cut the ball in 6 even pieces, then cut each of those pieces in half.
- Line the base of a casserole dish or large baking tin (at least 9x13 inch) with baking paper.
- Shape each piece of dough into a small ball and sit them side by side in the prepared tray (they should be just touching). Allow to rise for another hour or until doubled in size again, loosely covered with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / 180C fan forced
- Brush the egg yolk mixed with a dash of water over the tops of the buns.
- Mix together the cocoa, flour and 2 ½ tablespoons water and transfer to a piping bag. Pipe crosses over the top of the buns (you can do this by piping 1 long line across the middle of each row of buns, then repeat until they all have a cross).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until shiny and crisp on top.
- Serve warm, with butter
- Please take a moment to rate this recipe. I really appreciate it and it helps me create more recipes.
Video
Notes
- I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (4 teaspoons worldwide)
- For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- All ovens vary, always check the bake 2-3 minutes before the recipe suggests and consider investing in an independent oven thermometer. Small and cheap, they're often more reliable the ovens own thermostat.
- You can also knead the mixture by hand, if preferred. It is a sticky dough and you'll need to be patient with it.
- Don't be tempted to add too much flour or they'll turn out dry.
- Holding a dough scraper in one hand to lift and fold, then kneading with the other works best
- Knead until smooth and elastic
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