Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Bun
45mins + 3 hours proving
Intermediate
MAKES 12
PRINT RECIPE
- 50g Whitworths Chopped Sayer Dates
- 50g Whitworths Juice Locked Raisins
- 20g Whitworths Sunshine Sultanas
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 450g strong white flour, sifted
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp yeast
- 80g dark chocolate, cut into chunks
- 1 orange, zest of
- 50g golden caster sugar
- 50g salted butter, softened
- 150ml semi-skimmed milk, warm
- 75ml warm water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- For the cross:
- 50g plain flour, sifted
- 80ml water
- For the glaze:
- 1tbsp brown sugar
- 2tbsp water
- vanilla extract
- Into a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt, yeast and spices then mix well.
- Add the caster sugar, sultanas, dates, raisins, chocolate chunks and orange zest, then stir well.
- Make a ‘well’ in the centre of the bowl then add the butter, milk and water into the ‘well’. Add in the egg then mix well to form a dough (we love to use our hands here!) if the mixture is too dry simply add a little more milk.
- Cover bowl with cling film then leave (at room temperature) for 2 hours to rise, it should double in size.
- Once risen, turn out and knead well to ‘punch out all of the air’.
- Divide the mixture into 12 then, using your hands, shape each one into round rolls.
- Line one or two baking sheets with greaseproof then arrange the rolls leaving plenty of room for them to grow. Cover with cling film then set aside once again to rise for 1 hour, again until they have doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 220⁰C/Fan 200⁰C/Gas Mark 7.
- Once the rolls have doubled in size you can make the cross... Using a piping bag, add enough water to the flour to make a thick yet pipe-able paste, pipe a cross on top of each roll then bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the glaze by slowly melting the sugar, vanilla extract and water in a pan until the sugar has dissolved and you have a clear syrup.
- As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush immediately then leave to cool on a wire rack.
Back to all recipes
