Description
Enjoy the warm, spiced goodness of homemade chocolate chip hot cross buns. These soft, fluffy treats are filled with rich chocolate chips, making them a delightful addition to any occasion. Perfectly glazed and beautifully cross-topped, they are sure to impress!
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 75g caster sugar
- 10g salt
- 10g instant yeast
- 300ml whole milk, lukewarm
- 50g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 150g chocolate chips (dark or milk, based on preference)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice powder (or allspice)
- 75g plain flour (for the cross)
- 75ml water (for the cross)
- 75g apricot jam (for the glaze)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the strong white bread flour, caster sugar, salt, instant yeast, ground cinnamon, and mixed spice powder. Keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl initially.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the lukewarm whole milk, melted unsalted butter, and the large egg until well combined.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Mix until a rough dough begins to form.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Flatten the dough slightly and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Fold the dough over the chocolate chips and knead gently until evenly distributed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Once risen, punch the dough down gently and transfer it back to a floured surface.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 100g each) and shape each into a smooth ball.
- Place the shaped dough balls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each bun.
- Cover the tray and let the buns rise for another 30-45 minutes, or until puffed up and touching each other.
- In a small bowl, combine the plain flour with enough water to form a thick paste, similar to thick pancake batter.
- Transfer the paste to a piping bag or a small zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe a cross over each bun once they have risen.
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C for fan ovens) or 425°F.
- Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- While baking, prepare the glaze by gently heating the apricot jam in a small saucepan until liquid. Strain if desired.
- Once baked, remove the buns from the oven and brush the warm apricot glaze over the top of each bun.
- Allow the buns to cool on the tray for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is lukewarm to activate the yeast properly.
- You can substitute chocolate chips with dried fruits or nuts if preferred.
- For a richer flavor, consider adding a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the dough.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes