Dark Chocolate Hot Cross buns
I love a good hot cross bun but found I never ate the traditional fruit filled ones as lets face it when offered something with chocolate in it versus fruit filled its chocolate all the way for me baby. I'll be honest, baking bread (though attempted numerous times) is not my favourite food to create. Now, breaking bread...I got that down pat. This recipe is full proof as well as flexible to variations. If you'd like a mocha inspired version substitute the water portion for espresso coffee. Want it vanilla flavoured? Add it! It's that simple. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Dark Chocolate Hot Cross buns baked in a Plattertastic
Ingredients
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar
1½ cups (375ml) lukewarm milk
4¼ cups (635g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1 tbsp mixed spice
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
50g unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
200g good quality dark chocolate (broken up into shards)
½ cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour, extra
⅓ cup (80ml) water
unsalted butter, to serve
Gelatin glaze
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons gelatine powder
¼ cup (60g) caster (superfine) sugar
¼ cup (60ml) water, extra
Method
Place the dry yeast, 2 tbsp sugar and the lukewarm milk in a large bowl and set aside for 20 minutes. The mixture will start to foam, indicating that the yeast is active.
Sift the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and remaining sugar into one bowl. Add the chocolate shards to the mix.
Add melted butter, water and beaten egg to the yeast mixture, once combined add it to the dry mixture and mix until a sticky dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes or until you feel your triceps burn. Keep a watch on the time while kneading the dough as you'll want to stop and consider being carb free. Keep going! Your efforts are worth the results.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth or cling wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 - 1.5 hours or until doubled in size. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Arrange the dough balls onto a Plattertastic that has been lightly oiled and with layer of non-stick baking paper on the bottom that curls a little but up the sides. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the extra flour and the water in a bowl and stir to combine. Place in a piping bag or a plastic bag with one corner snipped off, and pipe crosses on the buns. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden and springy to touch.
Once the hot cross buns are removed from the oven, make the glaze. Place the water in a small saucepan and sprinkle over the gelatine. Set aside for 1 minute or until the gelatine is dissolved. Add the sugar and extra water in small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. This should take 1-2 minutes. Brush with the warm glaze while the buns are still hot. One layer is sufficient, two is excessive and the top becomes super sticky. Shiny, but sticky.
Serve warm with butter and try to stop yourself from eating one. I dare you. Nay, double dare you.
Like what you saw? Here's the list of Functionality products used in the photo
Plattertastic, Side Winder plate, Mini Meek Beakers, Condiment Schmondiment bowl.
*Adapted from a Donna Hay recipe