Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

So I've been promising the recipe for a while. I love everything about a hot cross bun other than the dried fruit. Me and dried fruit do not get on. So I decided to take out the currants, add chocolate chips a few grams of cocoa powder and some orange zest and there you go. I didn't plan on making chocolate orange ones but my brother bullied me into it after seeing "a well know supermarket" advertising them.

Tonight I'm making pearl barley risotto for tea. I've been wanting to try this for ages. I'll let you know how it tastes.

Recipe adapted from Jo Pratt's Chocolate orange hot cross buns.

100ml milk

50g caster sugar

75g butter

450g strong plain white flour

25g cocoa powder

1tsp mixed spice

1tsp salt

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

7g fast action dried yeast

75g dark chocolate chips

1 egg, beaten

Flour for dusting

For the crosses

50g strong plain white flour

1tbsp sunflower oil

2-3tbsp water

For the glaze

2tbsp orange juice

2tbsp caster sugar

Heat the milk in a saucepan over a low heat. Just before it boils remove from the heat and add the sugar and the butter. Stir until melted. Add 100ml of water and leave to cool down slightly.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, mixed spice and salt into a large bowl and stir in the orange zest and yeast. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm water and beaten egg mixture.

Mix together until you have a sticky dough. Add the chocolate chips.

Knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Leave to rise in a well oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. An hour should be long enough.

Divide into 12 buns, place on a oiled baking sheet and leave until they have doubled in size (around 30 minutes). Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6.

To make the cross. Mix together the flour, oil and water until you have a smooth paste.

When risen lightly cut a cross in the top of each bun and then pipe a cross on each. Cook the buns for 15-18 minutes, keep and eye on them as they may cook quicker. They should sound hollow on the base once cooked.

To make the glaze heat the orange juice and sugar in a pan and as soon as the buns are out of the oven cover the top of each one.

And your done! These will impress everyone so you may need to make more!

 ♥