Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

March 19, 2021

Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

Hello there!

With Easter quickly approaching (where is 2021 going?!), I wanted to share this recipe of chocolate orange hot cross buns. This was inspired by a recipe of the legendary Mary Berry which I will link at the end of the post. I chose to use half dried fruit mix and half chocolate chips but you can use all chocolate chips for an extra treat. These hot cross buns are brushed in golden syrup to give them a sweet and sticky shine. Enjoy!

The Recipe: Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

Makes 6 buns

250g strong white flour
40g caster sugar
1 orange, zested
5g salt
5g fast action dried yeast
20g butter
150ml milk
1 egg, beaten
50g dried mix fruit
50g chocolate chips
50g plain flour, combined with 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp golden syrup

Put the flour, sugar and orange zest in a bowl and combine. Add the salt and yeast, placing them on opposite sides of the bowl.

Gently heat the milk in a pan until lukewarm and melt the butter in the microwave. Add to the dry ingredients with half the beaten egg (use the rest for glazing) and bring together with your hands.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth, adding in the chocolate chips and dried fruit in the last few minutes.

Knead until evenly distributed then place in a clean bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to prove in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 6 balls, each weighing about 120g each. Place on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Leave a little space between each one and cover with cling film. Prove for a further 40-60 minutes until doubled in size.

Preheat an oven to 220°C/200°C/Gas Mark 7. Combine the flour and water together with a whisk to form a thick paste and spoon into an icing bag. Pipe a cross on each bun, brush with egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Brush with golden syrup when slightly warm and leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or leave to cool completely.