Chocolate & Orange Hot Cross Buns

Makes 12 buns   Prep time 3.5hrs   Cooking time 20mins

Ingredients:

For the buns:

300ml Full-fat milk, plus 2 tbsp more

50g Butter

500g Strong bread flour

1tsp Salt

75g Caster sugar

1tbsp Sunflower oil

7g Sachet fast-action yeast

1 egg, beaten

75g Sultanas

50g Mixed peel

Zest 1 orange

1 Apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100g Dark/milk chocolate cut into small chunks

For the cross:

75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

For the glaze:

3 tbsp apricot jam

Equipment:

Stand mixer/Large mixing bowl

Weighing scales

Piping bag

Baking tray

Saucepan

Sieve

Pastry brush

Baking paper/Parchment  

Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. 

Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl or if you are using a stand mixer into the bowl with the dough hook attachment. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture and then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon/low speed, mix well, then bring everything together until you have a sticky dough.

You can then either mix this in the stand mixer on a medium speed for 5 minutes or tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. 

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple, chocolate and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.

Divide the dough into 12 even pieces with a knife (cut in half and then in half again and then each piece into 3). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. The easiest way to do this is by placing the dough ball on the surface and cupping your hand over the top in a ‘cage’. Then roll the ball against the surface using your cage. 

Arrange the buns a baking tray lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.

Preheat oven to 220°c/200°c fan/gas 7

Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon this into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses (I usually carry on beyond the sides of the buns for a neater look and remember to be brave! Quick, fluid and confident movements will give you the best result). 

Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown. Allow the buns to cool slightly. 

Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool. Voila! Eat warm from the oven or how I like them - toasted with salted (I know) butter.