2 hours ago
1
I wasn’t planning to make chocolate hot cross buns. My new fruit version, fragrant with spice and heavy with vine fruits, is now the one I reach for each year without hesitation. Hot cross buns are, after all, anchored in familiarity.
And yet chocolate has its own quiet logic here. Cocoa deepens rather than disrupts, casting the spices into sharper relief and tempering the sweetness of the fruit.
The addition of chopped dark chocolate – rather than just cocoa – introduces molten pockets of bitter-sweetness that break up the dough. Together, they shift the bun away from the purely sweet and into something far more sophisticated.
Ingredients
FOR THE BUNS
50g sultanas
50g currants
50g raisins
50g candied mixed peel
200ml strong, hot black tea
20g cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
300ml full-fat milk
430g strong bread flour, plus extra for tossing fruit and kneading
2 tsp dried yeast
80g light-brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp fine sea salt (reduce slightly if using table salt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
60g unsalted butter, softened and cubed, plus 10g extra to grease the bowl
120g chocolate (50-60 per cent cocoa mass), chopped (see note), or use chocolate chips
FOR THE CROSS
60g plain flour
10g cocoa powder
1 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
60-70ml water
FOR THE GLAZE
79g caster sugar
50ml water
pared strip of orange zest
Method
Step 1
Combine the sultanas, currants, raisins and mixed peel in a bowl. Pour over the hot tea and set aside at room temperature to macerate.
Step 2
Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat until just lukewarm, then remove from the heat. Pour 50ml of the warm milk over the cocoa powder and whisk into a smooth paste. In a small jug, combine 150ml of the milk with the yeast and set aside.
Step 3
Return the remaining 100ml of milk to the saucepan and add 30g of the bread flour. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until a thick, smooth paste forms. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature; this is your tangzhong.
Step 4
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the remaining 400g flour, brown sugar, spices and salt. Add the cooled tangzhong, yeast mixture, cocoa paste, vanilla and 40g of the beaten egg (reserving the remainder for the egg wash).
Step 5
Using the dough hook, mix on medium-low speed for about 1 minute until a sticky dough forms. Incorporate the butter a few pieces at a time, ensuring each addition is well combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft, slightly tacky, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 6
To check, perform the windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers. It should form a thin, translucent membrane; if it tears easily, continue kneading for another minute or two.
Step 7
Drain the soaked fruit and discard the liquid. Toss the fruit in 20g of flour to coat, then fold into the dough in four additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Add the chocolate and mix briefly. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead – adding a dusting of flour only as needed – until the texture is smooth, elastic and supple.
Step 8
Lightly grease a large bowl with the extra butter. Place the dough inside and cover, leaving it to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size – usually 1 to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature.
Step 9
Line the base of a 23cm x 33cm baking tray with baking paper.
Step 10
Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal portions (about 110g each). Shape each into a smooth ball by folding the edges into the centre, then rolling seam-side down under your palm. Arrange the buns on the tray so they are close together but not touching. Cover loosely and allow to rise for 45-60 minutes until puffy.
Step 11
While the buns rise, make the paste for the cross by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and stirring until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 5-6mm nozzle (or a press-seal bag with the corner snipped).
Step 12
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
Step 13
Brush the risen buns with the reserved beaten egg and pipe a cross on each. Bake for about 28 minutes until well-risen and firm.
Step 14
While the buns are in the oven, combine the sugar, water and orange zest in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for two minutes until lightly syrupy.
Step 15
Brush the buns with the glaze while they are still hot, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, split and spread generously with salted butter.
