Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Chocolate Easter Treats

These are really fun to make and combine the two foods associated with easter, chocolate and hot cross buns.  I really gave my buns a super chocolate flavour by making the buns ooze chocolate when bitten into. I really love sharing my food and making my own muffin cases with baking paper made my treats  extra special gifts from the heart.  It is also okay if the buns do not look perfect, the gooeyness, intense, homely goodness is enough to make someone smile.

Making Dough

I have really improved my dough making skills and this is simply through practise.  Even though I always use the recommended amount of ingredients, I always find that I have to keep altering the recipe, as the dough may be too sticky and dry.  My number one tip when following a dough recipe is always have spare flour, water or milk, depending on the dough you are making.

This recipe was adapted from 'Morrisons Magazine' March/ April (Result Customer Communications, 2012)

Ingredients:

150ml skimmed milk, 1 x 7g satchet dried active yeast, 400g strong white flour, 2tsp baking powder, 3tsp mixed spice, a pinch of salt, 100g caster sugar, 200g chocolate chips, 2 eggs beaten, 2tbsp honey, 150g white chocolate (buy a big bar so you can break off segments to insert into the dough).

Method:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix.
2. Add the sugar and chocolate chips and mix.
3. Warm the milk in a pan, then remove from the heat and add in the yeast. Stir this and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Make a well in the large bowl and add the beaten eggs, then add the milk and yeast.
5. Stir to combine all of the ingredients, then using your hands form into a soft dough.
6. Flour a work surface lightly then knead the dough until it is elastic.
7. Grease a medium sized bowl, place the dough inside and cover with clingfilm.
8. Leave the dough in a warm place for 2 hours.
9. Make muffin cases with baking paper and put into a 12 holder muffin tin which has been greased. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C/ Gas 7.
10. Divide the dough into 12 balls and gently knead each one with a tiny bit of flour. The break a segment of white chocolate and insert 1 segment into each dough ball.  Place each dough ball  in the muffin tin.
11.  Bake for 8 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180 degrees C / Gas mark 4 for 10 minutes.
12. Heat honey and glaze each bun.
13. Melt the rest of the white chocolate and make a cross or drizzle over the buns.

Saffy's Top Tip

You can also use 1/2 the amount of chocolate with 1/2 the amount of currants or another dried fruit.