Chocolate And Orange Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Ingredients for the buns:

450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

7g sachet fast action, easy blend yeast

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

50g caster sugar

Grated zest of 1 orange

50g butter, chopped, plus extra for greasing

150ml whole milk

100g dark chocolate, chopped

Ingredients for the crosses:

40g plain flour

1 tbsp caster sugar

Ingredients for the glaze:

2 tbsp caster sugar

Instructions:

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the yeast, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, orange zest and a pinch of salt.

2 Place the butter in a pan with the milk and top up with 100ml water. Heat in a pan until hot but not anywhere near boiling or simmering. Let it stand for a few minutes so the butter melts and the liquid cools to hand hot. Add to the flour and stir together to make a sticky dough.

3. Dust your work surface with a little flour (don't use too much or it will dry out your dough). Turn out the dough and knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. Place the dough, patted into a round, in a large bowl that has been brushed with melted butter. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave somewhere warm for about an hour or until doubled in size.

5. Tip the dough out, punch down and heap the chocolate onto it. Fold the dough over to cover the chocolate and knead for 1 -2 minutes or until the chocolate is distributed. Divide the mixture into 12 and shape into rounds. Grease 2 large baking trays with butter and place the buns on them. Cover with tea towels and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220°C/fan oven 200°C.

6. Make the cross mixture by mixing the flour and sugar with 3-4 tbsp water to make a smooth paste. Slice a cross into the top of each bun and spoon some paste into the marks with a teaspoon. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and the buns sound hollow when the bases are tapped. Transfer the buns to a wire rack.

7. Place the sugar in a small pan with 2 tbsp water and gently heat until melted. Brush over the buns to glaze. Serve warm with butter.