Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Makes: 18 Chocolate Hot Cross Buns  Oven: 180 °C / 350 °F
Preparation Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes  Baking Time:  20 – 25 minutes

Ingredients

500 g Cake flour ( 4 x 250 ml / 4 cups )
5 ml Salt ( 1 tsp )
75 ml Sugar ( 5 tbsp )
60 ml Cocoa powder ( 4 tbsp )
60 g Margarine ( 4 tbsp )
20 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 2 packets )
80 ml Milk ( ⅓ cup )
2 Large eggs, beaten
125 ml Warm water ( ½ cup )
125 g Baking chocolate, melted
75 g Chocolate chips
Icing sugar, to dust

Topping

120 g Cake flour ( 1 x 250 ml / 1 cup )
3 ml Salt ( ½ tsp )
45 ml Oil ( 3 tbsp )
125 ml Water ( ½ cup )

Glaze

125 ml Sugar ( ½ cup )
60 ml Water ( ¼ cup )

Method

  1. Mix the cake flour, salt, sugar and cocoa together. Rub the margarine into the cake flour with the fingertips.
    Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
  2. Mix the milk, egg and warm water together and add
    to the dry ingredients. Mix together to form a soft
    dough.
  3. Add the melted chocolate and mix until well blended.
  4. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes until smooth
    and elastic.
  5. Cover with greased plastic and rest for 20 minutes.
  6. Knock the dough down and work the chocolate chips
    into the dough, whilst kneading.
  7. Divide the dough into 18 equal pieces and roll each
    piece into a bun. Place on a greased baking tray.
    Cover with greased plastic and rise in a warm place,
    about 1 hour.
  8. Mix the flour, salt, oil and water, for the topping,
    together until smooth. Mixture should be fairly thin to
    pipe, but thick enough to hold shape.
  9. Once the buns have risen, pipe a cross over
    each bun.
  10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ºC / 350 ºF for
    20 – 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow
    to cool for 5 minutes.
  11. Prepare the glaze by dissolving the sugar in
    the water and allow to come to the boil, whilst stirring.
    Brush the buns with the glaze, whilst still warm.
  12. Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust thickly with icing
    sugar and serve the same day.

Anchor Yeast Ilove2bake Logologo