Recipe
Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns
Soft, spiced hot cross buns with dark chocolate, orange zest and a little dried fruit, finished with a glossy chocolate topping and sharp citrus icing.
Ingredients
Method
120 mins prep22 mins cook142 mins total
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the warmed milk, melted butter and egg to make a soft dough.
Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then work in the chocolate chips, dried fruit and orange zest. Cover and leave in a lightly buttered bowl until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape into round buns. Arrange on a lined baking tray, cover and leave to puff for 30–40 minutes while the oven heats to 200°C (180°C fan).
Bake for 20–22 minutes until risen and hollow-sounding underneath. Cool on a wire rack.
Melt the chopped dark chocolate with 15g of the butter, then brush it over the cooled buns. Mix the icing sugar with the orange juice and pipe a cross over each bun.
Notes
Allow both rises to finish fully: the dough should look visibly puffy before baking. The glaze sets most cleanly on completely cooled buns.
About this recipe
These chocolate orange hot cross buns keep the familiar soft, yeasted crumb but bring a darker, more grown-up balance to the Easter table. Dark chocolate chips and mixed dried fruit add pockets of richness, while finely grated orange zest lifts the dough with a clean citrus note.
The buns are shaped individually, baked until lightly bronzed and finished with a thin chocolate glaze and orange icing crosses. Give the dough time to rise properly so the buns stay light rather than tight, and let them cool before decorating for a neat finish.
