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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Choc-Chip Hot Cross Buns




Buns

delicious slathered with butter 

I must say this is by far the best bread recipe I've ever tried.  Thank you Victoria of Victoria Bakes for sharing this wonderful Soft & Fluffy Cranberry Bread recipe which delivers a really soft and fluffy bread.  

I've doubled the original recipe to make 24 hot cross buns.


Cooked starter dough:  [Prepare this the day before]
60g bread flour
5g caster sugar
42g hot water
24g butter
  • Place water into a small saucepan over low fire.  Add butter into the hot water and stir until butter has melted.
  • Bring to the boil and turn off the fire.
  • Mix in flour and sugar and stir to form a soft dough.
  • Transfer into a container and keep it covered.
  • Chill for 18 - 24 hours.


Main dough:
400g bread flour
100g cake flour (I used plain flour)
90g sugar
8g salt
15g Dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted
8g instant dry yeast
60g egg
50g whipping cream (I used thickened cream)
250g fresh milk
125g starter dough (all of the starter dough)
50g butter, softened
150g dark chocolate chips

Flour paste for crosses:
35g plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp water, approx.
1/2 tsp cocoa powder

Glaze:
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
  • In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all ingredients (except butter) together.  Knead until well combined and a soft dough is formed.  Add in butter and continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic and passes the window-pane test. 
  • Place the dough in bowl and cling wrap it.  Allow to proof until double in size.
  • Punch the dough down and add choc chips.  Knead lightly to combine.  
  • Divide dough into 24 pieces. Rest for 10 minutes.  
  • Then shape dough into balls and place close together onto a greased  and lined baking tray (32 x 25 x 5 cm).  Cover and proof until double in size.  * [I could only fit 20 buns into the tray.  The remainder 4 buns had to go into another small square pan.]
  • To make crosses:  Sift flour and cocoa powder into a small bowl. Add in sugar and water and stir to make a smooth paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag and snip a very tiny hole off the bag.
  • Preheat oven to 200 deg C.
  • Pipe crosses onto the buns.  Bake for 10 minutes (200 deg C).
  • Reduce oven temperature to 160 deg C and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
  • While the buns are in the oven, make the glaze:  Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low fire until sugar dissolves. Simmer until glaze thickens.
  • Transfer buns onto a wire rack.  Brush glaze over hot buns.  Set aside to cool.



Note:  My crosses came out very very hard so I took them out and piped melted chocolate over instead.  I believe my paste was too thick.


see how hard the crosses are ...


replaced with melted chocolate crosses

8 comments:

  1. Spectacular, looks delicious yummiiii!

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  2. Hi Veronica,

    I like how you modify Victoria's recipe into these yummy hot cross buns. These look very soft and irresistible :D

    Zoe

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    Replies
    1. Hi Zoe, I've never like hot cross buns in the past, but with this recipe, I've had three for breakfast this morning!

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  3. Such marvelous texture! Thanks for making the choco version.. I sure am gonna keep your recipe ;)

    Thanks for the shoutout

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    Replies
    1. Victoria, your terrific recipe is sure a winner!

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  4. They look fantastic with the sweet glaze and chocolate cross!

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  5. Hi Veronica,

    I baked HCB using this recipe over the Easter weekend and it was the best HCB recipe I have ever made. The only changes I made was I used only 1 sachet of yeast 7g.

    I tried this recipe for the cross and it's quiet good. it's from a blog that's not longer available.
    for the crosses: (from foolishpoolishbakes)
    40g flour
    10g cocoa pdr
    13 g icing sugar
    25 g butter
    about 40 g water
    For the crosses, rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar. Stir in enough water to make a thick, smooth paste (suitable for piping).

    Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much for sharing the crosses recipe., shall keep it for next Easter HCB bakes. I am glad you love this bread recipe. I am always thankful for fellow bloggers who so kindly shared their wonderful recipes.

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